Chapter 2
Harry took a deep breath and a tentative step forward, towards the doorway that gleamed enticingly at him. The old man - the wizard - did nothing. By the look on his face, he could have been watching a bread maker knead dough, instead of the start of . . .
Oh, come on, Harry thought to himself, I'm only putting this off. It's now or never. Indeed, the doorway vibrated more and occasionally shrunk, then sprung back to shape. Those little symbols flickered faster than ever and the thing shone so bright it was hard not to shield his eyes.
He took another calming breath and this time leaped forward, shattering the silence with a quiet clinking of silver beads. As soon as his outstretched finger hit the first string of moon-colored droplets, time stopped.
Harry looked around. Well, perhaps time only stopped for him, but the world certainly seemed to be going on. He saw the wizard nod contentedly and turn away to disappear in a shimmer of blue.
He could make out every individual leaf on the ground and every snowflake's intricate pattern. He almost felt as though, if he squinted hard enough, he should be able to see the wind billowing by.
He blinked.
All of the sudden, the world lurched backwards and everything came together in a blur of colors that made Harry want to spew up every meal he had ever eaten. There came a sudden flash of light, and everything stopped. Harry kneeled on the ground, catching his breath, yet none of his clothes had so much as a rumple in them and his midnight hair was unruffled on his head. He peered up uncertainly and looked at his surroundings, hoping for some idea, some hint of where he was.
Tall bluish-green mountains towered in the distance, their peaks clouded over. Dead sycamore trees were everywhere, looming above him ominously, almost threateningly. The ground was cracked dirt that raised small clouds of dust at the slightest step and it was littered with unrecognizable skeletons. The only other living thing that Harry could make out was a vulture, wheeling overhead in the dark, gray skies, its piercing cry echoing around the desolate place.
Harry shuddered unwillingly. This was no place to start his . . . mission . . . of utmost importance. He thought of Hermione to comfort himself, and the whole place shifted. It was like spinning quickly and finding that everything had changed. The dead sycamore trees were replaced with flourishing ones, rising high in leave of green, occupied with hundreds of different creatures. The ground was soft, oh so soft, covered with green luscious grass that rose just up to one's ankle. Deer gamboled around him, peering curiously at the stranger that had come so suddenly. The sky, a beautiful bright blue dotted with billowing clouds, housed what seemed to be thousands of birds and butterflies soaring majestically through the air.
Harry gaped in astonishment, then slowly began to realize what had happened. Deliberately, he thought of death. Death and destruction, and the place changed once more to what it had begun as. Again he thought of Hermione, and again the place shifted to the paradise.
Harry chuckled to himself, wondering why he had not figured this out earlier. This strange land reflected him and his feelings, his emotions. He focused his mind firmly on Hermione and smiled as he saw several flowers bloom out of nowhere. This place truly did reflect his mood rather well. Purposefully, he stood up and looked around, hoping to find someone or something to help him figure out where to begin.
This place was very much like a dream, yet totally different from anything he had ever imagined at the same time.
Well, Harry thought, If this place is supposed to be a dream, then perhaps . . . perhaps I can control it in some way. He tucked Hermione away to some far corner of his mind and concentrated on what he needed.
In his mind, he formed a picture of the wizard and the doorway. He pictured the wizard talking to him, gesturing with his tall staff. Harry opened his eyes hopefully, then slouched his shoulders in disappointment. Nothing had changed.
Oh well, he thought dejectedly, I'll just have to go about this the old-fashioned way. He scanned the area once more, shading his eyes with a pale hand. There seemed to be nothing of interest - the same environment continued as far as he could see, framed on each side by a range of mountains. Those, surprisingly, had not changed even after the shift from happy to sad thoughts. Perhaps it meant something.
Suddenly Harry gave a start, realizing that he had not moved from his spot since he had gotten to this strange place. He took a step forward and gasped.
The world rushed by, similarly to the doorway but without the flash. He looked in front of him and his mouth fell open again. A small, crystal clear box held his thoughts.
He could see a picture of Hermione, some porridge, a sword, a tear, and even a question mark. Even as he looked at the box, he could see thin wisps of what appeared to be clouds but of an odd pink color come out of him and flow into the box. Harry thought about this for a minute then smiled knowingly.
He reached out with his hand and picked out the image of the wizard and the doorway, obviously still in the back of his mind, though it was rather faded. Immediately after he touched it, that blinding flash came and he popped out of the air in front of the bony man. The wizard smiled wryly, a thin curving of his lips, no more, and addressed himself to Harry.
"It seems you have discovered one o the many secrets of this land. Excellent. You will need all the knowledge you can get. I take it you would like to know where to begin, yes? Well I can help you there. Since you are such a smart young man, you will have no difficulties at all solving this easy riddle:
You need to find an ally.
And an ally you.
You will know him when you see him.
For yourself, he will be, too.
He carries not a weapon,
But the greatest one is his.
He knows no fear; it's not a word
Yet terror, his life is.
Do not search in the treetops
Do not search on the ground.
Do not search in the ocean.
Search well, and he'll be found.
"Be quick, boy. The world depends on it." He smiled his cold smile again, his dark eyes glittering. "Tootles!"
And with that, again he shimmered away, leaving Harry to wonder at the words that he remembered.
Disclaimer: See end of Prologue
Harry took a deep breath and a tentative step forward, towards the doorway that gleamed enticingly at him. The old man - the wizard - did nothing. By the look on his face, he could have been watching a bread maker knead dough, instead of the start of . . .
Oh, come on, Harry thought to himself, I'm only putting this off. It's now or never. Indeed, the doorway vibrated more and occasionally shrunk, then sprung back to shape. Those little symbols flickered faster than ever and the thing shone so bright it was hard not to shield his eyes.
He took another calming breath and this time leaped forward, shattering the silence with a quiet clinking of silver beads. As soon as his outstretched finger hit the first string of moon-colored droplets, time stopped.
Harry looked around. Well, perhaps time only stopped for him, but the world certainly seemed to be going on. He saw the wizard nod contentedly and turn away to disappear in a shimmer of blue.
He could make out every individual leaf on the ground and every snowflake's intricate pattern. He almost felt as though, if he squinted hard enough, he should be able to see the wind billowing by.
He blinked.
All of the sudden, the world lurched backwards and everything came together in a blur of colors that made Harry want to spew up every meal he had ever eaten. There came a sudden flash of light, and everything stopped. Harry kneeled on the ground, catching his breath, yet none of his clothes had so much as a rumple in them and his midnight hair was unruffled on his head. He peered up uncertainly and looked at his surroundings, hoping for some idea, some hint of where he was.
Tall bluish-green mountains towered in the distance, their peaks clouded over. Dead sycamore trees were everywhere, looming above him ominously, almost threateningly. The ground was cracked dirt that raised small clouds of dust at the slightest step and it was littered with unrecognizable skeletons. The only other living thing that Harry could make out was a vulture, wheeling overhead in the dark, gray skies, its piercing cry echoing around the desolate place.
Harry shuddered unwillingly. This was no place to start his . . . mission . . . of utmost importance. He thought of Hermione to comfort himself, and the whole place shifted. It was like spinning quickly and finding that everything had changed. The dead sycamore trees were replaced with flourishing ones, rising high in leave of green, occupied with hundreds of different creatures. The ground was soft, oh so soft, covered with green luscious grass that rose just up to one's ankle. Deer gamboled around him, peering curiously at the stranger that had come so suddenly. The sky, a beautiful bright blue dotted with billowing clouds, housed what seemed to be thousands of birds and butterflies soaring majestically through the air.
Harry gaped in astonishment, then slowly began to realize what had happened. Deliberately, he thought of death. Death and destruction, and the place changed once more to what it had begun as. Again he thought of Hermione, and again the place shifted to the paradise.
Harry chuckled to himself, wondering why he had not figured this out earlier. This strange land reflected him and his feelings, his emotions. He focused his mind firmly on Hermione and smiled as he saw several flowers bloom out of nowhere. This place truly did reflect his mood rather well. Purposefully, he stood up and looked around, hoping to find someone or something to help him figure out where to begin.
This place was very much like a dream, yet totally different from anything he had ever imagined at the same time.
Well, Harry thought, If this place is supposed to be a dream, then perhaps . . . perhaps I can control it in some way. He tucked Hermione away to some far corner of his mind and concentrated on what he needed.
In his mind, he formed a picture of the wizard and the doorway. He pictured the wizard talking to him, gesturing with his tall staff. Harry opened his eyes hopefully, then slouched his shoulders in disappointment. Nothing had changed.
Oh well, he thought dejectedly, I'll just have to go about this the old-fashioned way. He scanned the area once more, shading his eyes with a pale hand. There seemed to be nothing of interest - the same environment continued as far as he could see, framed on each side by a range of mountains. Those, surprisingly, had not changed even after the shift from happy to sad thoughts. Perhaps it meant something.
Suddenly Harry gave a start, realizing that he had not moved from his spot since he had gotten to this strange place. He took a step forward and gasped.
The world rushed by, similarly to the doorway but without the flash. He looked in front of him and his mouth fell open again. A small, crystal clear box held his thoughts.
He could see a picture of Hermione, some porridge, a sword, a tear, and even a question mark. Even as he looked at the box, he could see thin wisps of what appeared to be clouds but of an odd pink color come out of him and flow into the box. Harry thought about this for a minute then smiled knowingly.
He reached out with his hand and picked out the image of the wizard and the doorway, obviously still in the back of his mind, though it was rather faded. Immediately after he touched it, that blinding flash came and he popped out of the air in front of the bony man. The wizard smiled wryly, a thin curving of his lips, no more, and addressed himself to Harry.
"It seems you have discovered one o the many secrets of this land. Excellent. You will need all the knowledge you can get. I take it you would like to know where to begin, yes? Well I can help you there. Since you are such a smart young man, you will have no difficulties at all solving this easy riddle:
You need to find an ally.
And an ally you.
You will know him when you see him.
For yourself, he will be, too.
He carries not a weapon,
But the greatest one is his.
He knows no fear; it's not a word
Yet terror, his life is.
Do not search in the treetops
Do not search on the ground.
Do not search in the ocean.
Search well, and he'll be found.
"Be quick, boy. The world depends on it." He smiled his cold smile again, his dark eyes glittering. "Tootles!"
And with that, again he shimmered away, leaving Harry to wonder at the words that he remembered.
Disclaimer: See end of Prologue