Dreaming through Hogwarts
by Healer Pomfrey

Please refer to the disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1!


'Somnifesserus, the dream animal. The Somnifesserus is a combination of a small dragon and a bird with small wings. Its original colour is a bright green; however, due to being a magical animal, it can turn invisible or change its colour. Through its dreams it is able to scenery travel. The Somnifesserus is known as the Master of dreams and it said to be able to influence the dreams of other animals. However, since the Somnifesserus has not been seen in Britain for several hundred years, it is not certain if this is a fact or just a myth.'

"Wow Harry, this sounds amazing," Lily added, chuckling. "You have a really rare Animagus form."

"Really," Harry replied, letting out a long sigh.

"Your father told me how much you dislike attention," Lily said, soothingly laying her arm around Harry's shoulders. "But it's an interesting form, and I believe that it's well worth trying to achieve transforming into it."

"Of course Mum, I'll try," Harry replied, smiling with enthusiasm. "I can't wait to be able to transform. Hermione is taking the Animagus class, and she promised to teach us."

"Well, whenever you have any questions or want to practise in addition, you can always come to your father or me," Lily offered, smiling, before she returned the books to the shelf.

HP

Thanking his mother profusely, Harry returned to Helena's rooms, hoping to find his friends in the common room.

The common room in Helena's House was equipped with several tables and chairs, so that it was very convenient for the participants of the MAP, as everyone used to call the Magical Advancement Programme, and during the last few days, the small group had already made it a habit to study in Helena Ravenclaw's rooms.

"Now are you up to your first Animagus practice?" Hermione queried, as soon as Harry entered the common room.

"Yes of course," Harry decided, questioningly looking at the twins and Draco, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Why don't we use the first year boys' dormitory to practise?" Draco suggested, and the others happily agreed.

However, as much as the four boys tried, neither on that Sunday afternoon nor on any day during the next few weeks did any of them manage to spike as much as one single feather.

HP

When Harry traipsed down to his parents' quarters on Wednesday evening before curfew, he was very excited. 'Tonight should be the full moon. I so hope that the wolfscure potion will work and Professor Lupin can be cured,' he thought, as he absentmindedly entered the Snapes' quarters.

"Hi Mum, hi Dad," he shouted as he stepped into the living room, where he stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh I'm sorry," he apologized quickly, seeing in surprise that an unknown man was visiting his parents. Without hearing a word, he immediately sensed that the atmosphere in the room was very tense.

"Good evening, sir. I'm Harry Snape," he introduced himself, looking curiously at the visitor.

"Hi Harry," the three adults greeted him, simultaneously, and the visitor gave him a broad smile.

"Harry, do you remember me? I'm Padfoot, your godfather."

Seeing from the corners of his eyes that his father's expression darkened some, Harry replied slowly, "I'm sorry sir, but I don't remember you, and my godparents are Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey."

"Snievellus!" the visitor blurted out, glaring at Severus. "James made me his godfather."

"Sirius, behave yourself," Lily spoke up in such a stern voice that Harry looked at her in surprise and was glad that it was not directed at himself. "Severus didn't know that you were innocent and changed the godparents to his and Harry's liking, when he found out that Harry was his son."

"Excuse me, sir," Harry threw in. "Many years I have been waiting for someone to come and rescue me from the Dursleys. But no one was available. Now I've finally got my family. I don't care if you're officially or only unofficially my godfather, but if you can't get along with my father, I'm sorry to say that I don't need you as my godfather."

"All right all right, Harry," Sirius replied, chuckling. "I'm not going to fight with your father."

"Sirius, what are you going to do now?" Lily asked gently. "Will you return to the Aurors or rather stay at Hogwarts?"

"Dumbledore offered me a post as professor for Care of Magical Creatures," Sirius informed them. "I'm not sure though if that's what I'd like to teach. Maybe Remus would be more predestined to teach that, and I could teach Defence. I haven't spoken with him yet though," he added as an afterthought.

"And why would he want to swap positions at all?" Severus queried, quirking an eyebrow.

"Because of his furry problem," his former classmate replied in surprise, causing Severus to inform him about the wolvescure.

"Oh that's indeed good news," Sirius acknowledged, laughing, "even if I'll just have to teach Magical Creatures then."

"Let's hope that the cure really works," Harry threw in quietly. "Dad, when will we know? Only in the morning?"

"Yes," Severus replied, sternly. "There is no way to know earlier. It would be much too dangerous to go to the Shrieking Shack."

"Do you want me to go and check, Harry?" Sirius offered, cheering at the boy.

"No sir, thank you for offering, but I don't want you to endanger yourself," Harry politely refused, causing the older wizard to laugh.

"You know, I'm a dog Animagus, and during our Hogwarts time, your father and I have spent all the nights of the full moon together with Remus in our Animagus forms. I'll go and check on him. Will be back in a while." With that, Sirius transformed into a black dog and rushed to the door, where he waited for Harry to let him out.

'James isn't my father. Sirius has to accept that,' Harry thought, grimly, as he observed the dog hurry through the dungeons corridor.

HP

Knowing that Harry would not be able to concentrate on his Occlumency lesson that evening, Severus skipped trying to teach his son and merely blocked Harry's connection to Hogwarts for him, hoping that the mangy mutt would return soon, so that Harry could get some sleep.

tbc...

Thanks to the kind people who motivated me by reviewing! More tomorrow...