Dumbledore placed a hand gently on Harry's shoulder and shook him. Harry looked out from under his hooded eyes and then was wide awake. He jumped back and gasped, sending a cloud of ashes against Dumbledore's chest. Dumbledore coughed and fanned the air in front of him to clear it. Harry backpedaled while still sitting, and ended up crashing against the wall, sending pots tumbling to the floor.

"Wait!" Dumbledore said, holding up his hands. "Wait, please don't be startled! Hagrid told me about you."

"Dumbledore?!" Harry gasped.

The old man – his gray hair, beard, that face, those half-moon glasses and blue eyes – they were all his old Headmaster's…but Dumbledore was dead!

"Yes. I'm Albus Dumbledore…"

Harry slapped a hand to his cheek and shook his head, but when he looked again the gray old man was still there. Harry sought out the young and very much alive Hagrid standing near the fire.

"Let him talk to yeh –" Hagrid started to say, but it was too much; he'd had enough of this nightmare.

Harry grabbed the nearest pot and chucked it towards the two of them, using it as the diversion to bolt out the door.

It was barely light – there was a faint blue mist about the world. Snow covered the ground sparsely, and the footprints leading from the castle were clear. Harry was adding his own barefooted prints to the mix as he took off as fast as he could towards the Whomping Willow, but it was a great distance to run.

"Wait! Come back!" Harry heard Hagrid bellow behind him.

Adrenaline pumped in Harry's veins so hard he thought he'd drop like a stone. He needed to get out of this crazy place…there was nothing to trust about this insanity. Hagrid being alive was one thing…but Dumbledore was dead. He was dead!

Harry looked over his shoulder as he stormed towards the Whomping Willow and he saw both Hagrid and Dumbledore running towards him fast – catching up easily. Harry huffed and pulled all the strength he had in him to push his legs faster. He was running uphill on a slippery slope, though…he'd never make it before they caught him…

Salvation came from above. Harry heard the flap of its large wings before he saw it. He looked up and descending upon him was the great white dragon. It blended so perfectly with the atmosphere right now that it was hardly visible, but it stopped Harry's pursuers like they had crashed into a wall.

Harry reached up his arms and one of the dragon's feet was right there reaching for him. Its talons curled around Harry's torso, and he gripped tightly to its digits.

He got one swift look of Hagrid and Dumbledore's faces before he was swept away into the night; it was almost comical.

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