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Chapter Three


"I am trapped inside a nightmare I cannot wake up from
A past that can't be rewritten or mistakes undone
No matter what I do or how hard I try and fight
My regrets wrap themselves around me every night"

A fragment of the poem "Being Trapped" by Alaina M. Coyle


She was running, she felt like she had been running for eons. The world around her felt like it was closing in around her. Where in the world, am I? She could hear her own thoughts echoing all around her, she could hear the distress in her voice. She had stopped when she heard her own voice say something behind her.

"You'll never find your way out...there is no way out." Said the voice that sounded remarkably like her own.

She turned around, and faced an image of herself but not herself evidently. The girl behind her was gloomy; her hair looked like it hadn't been tended to in years, the soft curls she used to have were nappy, slick, and oily and looked like a rat found a home in it somewhere. "Who are you?"

"The same as you, you ask a question I know you already observed the obvious." The girl stated flatly. "Where are you trying to go? There is nowhere to run. I know I have been trying for what seems like days to find a way out of this place, but it seems to go on and on. It's bloody pointless." She said flatly.

"What is this place?" Hermione asked the gloomy version of herself.

"If I had to guess, I would think it's our mind." She stated flatly. "But I tried imagining a better place to spend my time dwelling and it didn't work for me."

"Our mind? That would make sense..." she said softly, as it felt like she finally opened her eyes to the surroundings. The last thing I remember is the Battle at the Department of Mystery...and...Dolohov...cursed me. I hadn't realized you could still curse a person without able to vocalize them, why did I have to silence him like that? Why didn't I just knock him out like the others? She heard her thoughts regurgitating around her in echoing waves. They were standing in a clearing of green grass, broken trinkets, and gleaming jewels were coating the ground. Nevertheless, it was a dark place, she never knew existed. And if they were in her mind, shouldn't she know that instinctively? "Am I the only one of us you have come across or have there been others?" Hermione asked the gloomy self.

"No...I think I saw a child version of us in the meadow of dreams," stated her gloomy self.

"Meadow of Dreams? You have named these places. What do you call this place?" Hermione asked as the thought penetrated her mind the forgotten valley of shattered hopes, and failed dreams. It was inside her head and echoed around them in her own voice.

"It seems we have answered that question." The gloomy self stated. "Why don't I take you to the Meadow of Dreams, and you can see our child self"

"Sounds like a good plan as any, it's better than running aimlessly through this forgotten valley." Hermione stated with a soft smile hitting her lips. "Better make the best of it, since we have nothing else better to do."

"Speak for yourself," Gloomy self responded in quickfire. "I would much rather be reading a book in the Library, wouldn't you?"


Albus Dumbledore entered the infirmary, Lupin walking besides him, with gauze, towels, and a water basin. Dumbledore had a grim look in his eyes, though a smile on his face as he approached Snape who was still pacing in front of Miss Granger's curtain. "Severus, my boy...Miss Granger has the resiliency to get through this and you are smart enough to know how to make her well." Dumbledore, set a hand on his shoulder.

Mme Pomfrey heard Dumbledore's voice from behind the curtain and poked her head out. "There you are Albus, I've been waiting for you. If you would could you, take those items from Remus and bring them in here for me. I need you to see something."

"Of course Poppy," Dumbledore stated as he took the items from Lupin's arms and entered the curtained area, as the curtain held itself open so he could slip through. "Now what is it you wanted me to see?"

Mme Pomfrey swished her wand, so the sound couldn't escape the curtained area. "While I was examining Miss Granger I came across something I think you should see."

"What is it, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked, with a slight intrigued sense.

She pulled the pulled Miss Granger's right arm from beneath the blanket and pulled on her arm until it was above her head, "Look at this," Poppy stated as she pointed to a mark on Miss Granger's bicep nearest the pit of her arm. "

"What is it Poppy?" Dumbledore asked as he bent down, gripping on Miss Granger's arm and looking to the spot indicated and when the mark came into focus he coughed loudly and dropped Miss Granger's arm.

"Are you alright Albus?" Mme Pomfrey asked, as she patted his back to help get the nasty cough out of him.

"Who else knows about this?" Dumbledore asked her.

"No one, I just found it," Mme Pomfrey stated softly.

"Don't tell anyone...not a word, can I trust you with this Poppy?" Dumbledore asked her.

"Patients Privacy is my business Albus, you know that. I just thought you should know about it." Mme Pomfrey said softly.

"It was a good thing too," Dumbledore said softly. "Do you want me to assist you with this, or can Severus? I think it would do him a world of good if he can see this process over, himself."

"No, that should be fine. Send Severus in. I just wanted you to see that," Mme Pomfrey. "Should I tell Severus?"

"No, not right now, send him to my office when the procedure is done. I will tell him our discovery then, alright?" Dumbledore stated before he lifted the privacy spell and left the curtained room. "Ah Severus, Poppy would like your assistance in this procedure if you don't mind."

Severus didn't think twice and swept pass Dumbledore into the curtained room.


Author's Notation:

Another chapter, and now more questions to ask yourself? I think the most prominent question that comes to mind would be is "Where are you going with this, Lady?" I am still trying to figure that out myself. I hope you like it. Still need a Beta! READ & REVIEW!

Much Appreciated,

Lost O'Fallon Girl


Reference:

www . helium . com / items / 1731259 - trapped (no spaces)