Disclaimer: Only the plot and the way in which the characters are manipulated are mine. Everything else belongs to other people in other places with different ideas. We all know who they are.

A New Age Comes: Frightening Beginnings

Chapter Four

Time passed and the darkness receded in some areas. There were moments of light and muffled sound. Nothing I could identify. Nothing that ever made me believe that I was anything other than dead. I hadn't registered any feeling in my body. I was amazingly accepting of my death. I had always thought that I would be upset about or fight my death as much as possible until I was of an age to die peacefully and in my sleep.

As I think on it now, I'm fairly certain that the curse had temporarily addled my brain. I cannot imagine any other reason for doing something so clichéd as to accept and welcome death when I was not, in fact, dead. I suppose I may have deluded myself into thinking that I was dead. At that point, I'd managed to turn self-delusion into a part of my daily life, almost as natural to me as breathing.

Needless to say, I was more than a tad shocked to finally figure out that I was alive. I was even more surprised to realize that I was just the slightest bit disappointed. I still haven't figured out why that was exactly. The especially shocking part of my great realization was how I came to it. Luckily, it wasn't as cliché as it could have been. I did not figure out that I was alive by suddenly becoming aware of my bodily aches and pains because that didn't happen for some time. That would have been a bit too much to bear. Instead, it was a voice.

I had no idea who was speaking or what he or she was saying. For once, I wasn't particularly curious about what was going on. I was still too busy wondering why I was disappointed about not being dead; more proof that something was addling my brain. While a part of my mind was off in the land of idiocy, I'd begun to register some of the words and the periods of darkness became fewer and further between.

Eventually, that lacking part of my brain caught up with the rest of itself, so I concentrated on the words that I could make out. Whatever was being said didn't really make sense to me. That's to be expected, though, when I'm sure I could only comprehend about every third or fourth word spoken. It was most likely a few minutes later that I realized that the voice was male. At first, I thought Neville had decided not to listen to me and had stayed behind to help me. I'll admit that I was a little miffed with him for staying when he should have been trying to save himself.

Sometime later, it occurred to me that it was not Neville speaking. It was odd, but that didn't change the fact that I felt no alarm upon discovering who it actually was. By now, it should be rather obvious as to whom, exactly, the voice belonged. The irony of the situation did not occur to me then. I was a little too preoccupied with trying to open my eyes to verify if it, in fact, was the man I'd tried so desperately to pretend didn't exist.

It was amazing that it took so much time and energy just to attempt opening my eyes. It finally reached a point where I determined that it was necessary for me to take a break from doing so.

Instead, I turned my attention fully to the words being spoken while simultaneously conserving more energy for a later attempt at opening my eyes. I'm not sure how much time had passed before I was able to decipher all that he was saying. It could have been mere seconds, but I was in no fit state to adequately judge the elapse of time. I was aware of that much at the time, so I waited and listened or awhile before I allowed myself to believe I was finally catching every word he was saying.

"…don't know why…"

I can't say that I was surprised by what he was saying.

"Weakness!"

But I certainly wasn't expecting what he did say either.

"…must have lost my mind."

This was most likely due to the fact that I never really expected him to be so close to me let alone speaking aloud to himself.

"Weak, so weak."

I couldn't be sure if he was calling me weak, or if he was referring to himself. Either way, it angered me. I used that anger to further fuel my next attempt at opening my eyes. This time, I was successful.

He didn't notice that my eyes were open at first, still too busy muttering to himself while glancing around and at my injury. At least, I was fairly certain that he was staring at my injury, though I couldn't understand why.

All I knew was that he wasn't going to harm me. It was that strange, inexplicable connection at work again. But he didn't have to hurt me. I should already be dying from Dolohov's curse. If that wasn't fast enough, one of his fellow Death Eaters could finish me off; curiously, neither seemed to be happening.

When my brain finally latched onto that piece of information, I decided that it would be prudent to make myself more aware of my surroundings. I soon discovered that doing so was easier thought than done for two reasons. The first issue was that he and I seemed to be behind some overturned tables and cabinets near a wall. The second was that I could move only my eyes and nothing else, however, that last bit stood to reason. I found it exhausting even trying to move them. I could scarcely imagine at that moment how much energy it would take to twitch my hand.

Eventually, he did take notice of my return to consciousness. His face was expressionless though his eyes held just a hint of confusion and disbelief. Again, that was understandable. As far as I could tell, he was healing me - all the while wondering why he was doing so. I really couldn't blame him for being confused. I was certainly confused, not that I was able to spare much thought on that particular issue at that moment.

Here was a man that should, by all rights, rejoice at the prospect of my death and he was saving me from it. It would have been beyond mindboggling were it not for our bewildering connection. At this point, I knew that he felt it too. It was there in his eyes; those eyes that should have looked at me with loathing; those eyes that I should not have been able to look into and instantly know his every emotion. For the first time in my life, I felt damned.

I was irrevocably and permanently connected to this man, this Death Eater, and I had no idea why. There was no explanation for it, at least not that I had yet found; and it came at a horrible time. War was impending, and we were on opposing sides. Either one of us could be killed and shouldn't care about the other's death, even though we both know that we would. And to make the entire situation more damning and ridiculous, he was married and I was barely older than his son.

It would be far more appropriate if he had a connection of this sort with his wife, however, I knew that he did not. How I knew that to be so? Again, it was because of our blasted connection. It was infuriating, but I couldn't bring myself to feel anything more than curiosity about it at that moment. As I said, my mind must have been addled by the curse.

While these thoughts flew through my mind, he continued to stare at me. It took me a moment to notice. When I did, his eyes held a mild apology within them. He raised his wand and I was consumed by the darkness again.

I knew no more until I woke within the confines of Hogwarts Hospital Wing. This time I was angry. I was upset that he would do that to me, particularly since he never told me that it was his intent to do so or even attempt to get my permission. That fact combined with my waking at the Ministry to him possibly calling me weak, gave me a new sort of determination.

I would never be weak. I would never be called weak again. I would prove him wrong. And, in doing so, I would prepare myself better for the inevitable war.

A/N: Hello all! I'm pleased to have updated so soon after my last. I was hoping to have this up sooner, but, of course, real life decided that it wasn't meant to be. I was in a car accident last week. Anyway, thank you to all have read, reviewed, subscribed, etc. It is much appreciated. Of course, reviews for this chapter are most welcome and appreciated. Please let me know if I have any inconsistencies or anything is confusing. Until next time.