Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I wish I did coz that'll mean I'll have lots of money but I fortunately I don't so... please don't sue ^^.

Dark Order Rising
Chapter 3: Somnus
by ARaZhi

"Where could he be?!" Remus grumbled to himself for the 52nd time as he continued to pace in Fletcher's kitchen.

"They haven't found him yet, that's good news. And those nosy reporters haven't sniffed anything yet, that's another good news."

"I guess so. After everything that happened, the last thing Harry needs is to hear about Sirius being chased by Ministry wizards."

"There is a bad news, though."

Remus turned and looked at his former professor.

"One of the Aurors told me their sensors are picking up a vampire in the forest."

"A vampire?" Remus frowned and tried not to think of his friend being drained by vampire. Sirius had steered clear off vampires ever since that incident during fifth year when his first ever date (an older girl) turned out to be a vampire. Sirius came home covered with dust after he staked his date with something muggles call pencil.

"I hope he can defend himself. Does he know any vampires?"

"No, I don't think so. The only one he knows have been dusted twenty years ago."

Fletcher raised his eyebrows.

"Long story," Remus sighed. "But since we have lots of time, I might as well tell you."

~*~

That same night in a house at number 4 Privet Drive, Harry Potter woke up from his nightmare. Cold sweat covered his forehead. He pushed off his slightly wet hair with a shaking hand.

Kill the spare!

Avada Kedavra!

Harry closed his eyes and saw Cedric's face. Unmarked. Surprised. Dead.

Harry had been having the same nightmares ever since he got back to Privet Drive two days ago. Even when he's awake, he could still picture it in his mind's eye.

He walked shakily towards the window and took a deep breath of fresh air. He know he shouldn't blame himself. Yet no matter what he does a small voice inside him kept on blaming him for Cedric's death.

"I told him to take the Cup with me," Harry whispered softly.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of an unknown owl. The owl swooped through his window and landed on his bed. After he untied the parchment attached to its leg, the owl took flight again.

Harry unrolled the parchment and read:

Dumbledore cannot protect you forever.
You can run. But you can never hide.

Harry recoiled as a smoky green serpent leapt out of the parchment and hanged in the air for a couple of seconds. The Dark Mark. Before the parchment burst into flames, the Dark Mark hissed:

Somnus!

Immediately, Harry's eyelids began to droop. He barely made it back to bed before he fell into deep slumber.

~*~

Sunlight was just starting to peek out of the horizon when a terrified scream filled the silent house.

"NOOO! STOP IT! AAAHHHHHHH!! STOPPP!!"

"Harry! Harry!" someone was shaking him awake. It doesn't like Aunt Petunia. Neither does it sound like Mrs. Weasley. It can't be Hermione, she's not supposed to go in the boys' dorm.

"Harry! Please, sweetheart, wake up!"

With a gasp of pain, Harry woke. He clutched his scar with a trembling hand, his forehead cold with sweat. The pain was starting to go away.

He blinked away the tears of pain threatening to spill out of his eyes and reached for his glasses.

"Here, sweetheart," a pair of glasses was placed into his hand.

Harry quickly put it on. Eager to find out who could possibly be in his room calling him sweetheart. If it was Hermione, he'll never hear the end of it from Ron. The voice was familiar but it couldn't be...

His eyes focused on the person sitting in front of him and he felt his heart stop. His mum! But how?

The door flew open and a man who looked like an older Harry stood there, his hair still dripping wet from a shower.

"Son? What happened?" James Potter asked in concern.

Harry could only gape at his parents.

"He was having a nightmare," Lily Potter replied.

"Would you like to tell us about it?" James asked.

"I---" What was he dreaming about? "How---" How what? How come his parents are alive? His parents have always been alive, haven't they? He was just having a twisted nightmare. His parents couldn't be dead especially since---

"Harry?" a soft girl's voice spoke from the doorway.

His sister. His eleven year old, red haired sister who looked so much like his mom, except for the piercing blue eyes which she got from their dad. If his parents have been dead he wouldn't have a sister.

"What happened?" his sister, Elizabeth, asked.

"I'm okay, Lizzie..."

"You gave me a fright."

"I'm alright. Nothing to worry your pretty little head over."

"Okay," Lizzie smiled at him brightly before tackling him down the bed and started tickling him.

"Stop it!" Harry gasped between peals of laughter.

"Well, looks like he's okay now, luv. Let's have breakfast, shall we?" James asked his wife.

Lily smiled at her husband. Her eyes shining with happiness at the sight of her fourteen year-old son playing with his sister.

"This is payback for last night!"

"I only did that because I missed you!"

"Well, I missed you, too!" Harry pried his sister off him and held her up.

"Ahh!! Harry put me down!"

"You're getting heavy!"

"Of course! I'm eleven now! I'll be starting Hogwarts soon! I'm gonna be Head Girl like mum!"

Harry placed Lizzie on the bed and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Last one on the breakfast table is a stinking Slytherin!" Harry took off downstairs.

"Hey! Not fair!" Liz ran after her brother.

The kitchen sure is different from his dream. The great improvement comes in the form of his father reading the Daily Prophet instead of Uncle Vernon. His mom cooking breakfast instead of Aunt Petunia. And NO Dudley in sight.

Harry pinched his arm. That hurt! He wasn't dreaming after all! All that horrible things that happened... all of it was nothing but a twisted nightmare? This... all this wonderful things are his reality?

Harry walked over to his mum, gave her a kiss on the cheek before taking the plates of eggs and bacon from her hands.

"Thanks, sweetie. Liz, sweetheart, set the table please."

Several minutes later, Harry was helping himself to a second serving of everything and trying to sort out his dream.

James sighed, "You've made the news again, Harry."

"I did?" Harry's heart plummeted. "Rita Skeeter, right? What did she write this time? She blames me for Cedric's death, doesn't she? Oh, she'll have it this time. When Hermione reads that she'll be sorry she ever learned how to write. Ron was right, Hermione shouldn't have released her too soon."

Everyone at the table was gaping at Harry.

"What?" Harry asked.

"What do you mean Cedric's dead? I just saw him on the train station when I picked you up," James said. "The article was written by Rita Skeeter. She says that Hermione picked Krum over you because he's a Triwizard Champion."

"Hermione picked Krum over me? But she's not my girlfriend! Wait a minute, Krum is the Triwizard Champion?" Harry looked at his dad blankly. Krum wasn't the Triwizard Champion. He, Harry, was the champion. He tied with Cedric. Then Cedric died... killed by that bloody traitor Wormtail. Right?

But another voice, louder and more insistent, was saying: No, you prat! That was your dream!

"My dream..." Harry whispered.

"Boy, you really had quite a nightmare, didn't you?" James said, concerned.

"Yeah. I dreamt I was living with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. And Dudley, of course, is getting worse with each year. Fatter. More irritating. Always carrying that dumb Smelting stick..."

James' expression darkened, "That is a nightmare. But don't worry Harry. I'll dance in the middle of a crowded Great Hall with nothing but a tea cozy before I let you live with those muggles."

"That'll be quite a sight, dad! Can I take a picture?" Lizzie giggled.

"Your dad is right, Harry, don't let that nightmare bother you so much. What are you plans for today?" Lily asked.

Before Harry could think of an answer, a knock sounded on the door.

Elizabeth jumped up from her seat and opened the door.

"My favorite redhead! Good morning, young lady," Sirius said.

Lizzie grinned and gave Sirius a hug, "Morning, Padfoot."

Harry couldn't help but stare at Sirius. The long, matted and tangled hair is gone, replaced by a short, clean cut. His built is lean but muscular. His skin perfectly tanned. The haunted gaze was missing as well. There was something peculiar though, a scar, like a lightning bolt, was on the left side of Sirius' face.

Harry's had automatically touched his own scar... and found nothing. No scar? What the hell?

"Harry!" Sirius shook him. "Are you there?"

Harry realized he was still staring and flushed. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Do I have something on my hair?" Sirius asked.

"I think you have a gray hair, Padfoot," James joked.

"I do not!" Sirius glared at James. "Something bothering you, Pronglet?"

"Er---"

"He had a nightmare," Lily explained. "He seems to be mixing his nightmare with reality."

"Really? Interesting. Was I in it?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Yeah. But you're different..."

"How different?" Sirius prompted.

"Er---" Harry tried to sort out the images from his dream but them seem to be fading. "You don't have that scar," he replied.

"That's a definite improvement," Sirius said. "Never liked this bloody scar."

But Harry disagreed. "I'm the one with the scar. Right here," he said, tracing his forehead with his finger. Sirius may not have a scar but there are things worse than a scar. Like being in the run from the Ministry... Harry decided to keep that to himself. He didn't want to talk about his dumb nightmare anymore. But something else was nagging at the back of his mind.

"Where's Voldemort?" Harry asked without thinking.

"He certainly wouldn't be joining as for breakfast, Harry," James replied, sounding a bit amused.

"Yeah," Sirius said as he buttered his toast, "That evil git's long gone, Harry. It's been what? Ten years?"

Lily nodded.

"Why? You weren't friends with him in this nightmare of yours, were you? Because the way you asked about him sounds like you were expecting him to join you for breakfast."

"Er, no," Harry shook his head, trying to clear it with images from him nightmare. "Can we please talk about something else?"

"Chris and Caitlyn are coming over at around 10. They said you're going to go see some muggle movie with Ron and Draco."

Harry nearly spat out his milk. He was going to see a movie with Draco? And who are Chris and Caitlyn? Harry forced his mind to focus on reality and not his twisted nightmare.

"You do know who they are, don't you?" Sirius exchanged concerned glances with James.

"Do nightmares do this? Cause a memory problem---"

"I'm fine, mum!" Lily looked a bit hurt at Harry's sudden outburst.

"Harry!" James said, sharply.

"Sorry. I'm still a little disoriented. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"It's alright, sweetie," Lily said, smiling at him.

"I shouldn't have kept you up all night," Lizzie said. "Sorry," she gave him an angelic smile.

"It's alright, Lizzie," Harry smiled back at his sister.

"You haven't answered my question," Sirius said.

"What was it again?"

"Do you remember Ron, Draco, Chris, and Caitlyn."

"Ron is---" Harry stopped himself short of saying: best friend. Somehow he got the feeling that Ron wasn't his best friend, at least not the closest. He quickly changed tactic while he tries to come up with Ron's role in his life.

"Draco is my---" Enemy? Someone who hated me? That doesn't sound right, either.

Harry's frown was mirrored in James' face as the adults exchanged concerned glances.

Chris and Caitlyn? Who are they?

Who was his best friend? Hermione? No. Probably not.

Hm.

Best friend...

It was as if a light bulb suddenly turned on his head, chasing away the shadows of his nightmare.

"Caitlyn is my best friend. Her twin brother, younger by 3 minutes (which is brought up almost everytime they argue) is Chris---Christian Sirius Black. Ron is my closest guy friend. Draco is Chris' best friend. All five of us are the second generation Marauders and we're going to go see a movie this afternoon!"

Everyone smiled in relief, "Good," Sirius laughed, "I'd hate to know what will happen to you if you forgot who Caitlyn is." Sirius turned to his best friend, "Ready to go?"

"I hope, for the sake of the office you two hold, you're not going to that meeting in that bike of yours, Sirius," Lily said.

"Of course not!" Sirius grinned at Lily, "That's why we're borrowing your car."

Lily paled. "Sirius Black, if you think I'm going to let a crazy driver like you drive my Jaguar you are wrong!"

"We could always use your bigger car. Only it's older and doesn't do much for appearance---"

"I'm having it fixed," Lily hissed.

"So, there's only one car that you can lend us..."

"No."

"Would you prefer that we walk? Do remember that the Ministry Palace is surrounded by Anti-Apparition wards. If we're to apparate, we'll have to walk two kilometers. Or would you feel better if Prongs drive?"

"He wouldn't know what to do with a car even if it comes with a manual."

Sirius and James gave Lily their most charming smiles.

"We wouldn't scratch it, luv, wizard's honour," James promised.

"You better not!" Lily reluctantly handed the keys of her precious car to Sirius.

"Alright! Thank you, milady," Sirius began pushing James towards the door. "Hurry before she changes her mind," Sirius whispered to James.

James gave her wife a quick kiss. A minute later, they heard the squeal of tires as the Jaguar took of a top speed.

"It'll be alright, mum!" Harry reassured his still pale mother.

~*~

Harry wandered around the house trying his best to separate his stupid nightmare from his wonderful reality.

Potter Estate is huge! The whole of the Dursley's house could fit in the living room. The library contained hundreds of books and moving portraits of his ancestors. There was no doubt in his mind that most, if not all, in his family were in Gryffindor because all of the 9 guest rooms were decorated in Gryffindor colors (red and gold).

He caught sight of at least five house-elves. He briefly wondered how Hermione will react if she finds out the Potters have house-elves. But quickly dismissed it when he realized that the Harry in his dream didn't even know what house-elves are until his second year. Surely Hermione knows by now that there are house-elves in the Potter Estate.

Harry tried to think of the Black Manor. Yeah, it's just as big as this place. Except that there are lots of muggle stuff because like Arthur Weasley, Sirius have always been fascinated with muggle technology even though he's also a pure-blood like the Weasleys.

Arthur Weasley and his whole family live in London. The Ministry Palace, center of the British Ministry, because Arthur Weasley is the Minister of Magic. That's where James and Sirius are going. James is head of Magic Law Enforcement and Sirius is head of the Department of Mysteries.

Harry focused his mind on Draco Malfoy next. No. That's wrong. It's not Draco Malfoy. It's Draco Snape. Lucius Malfoy died not long after his Lord Voldemort. Narcissa married Severus Snape and Snape adopted Draco as his own. Knowing how tainted the name Malfoy had become, Draco dropped it. And as Draco usually told the (second generation) Marauders, his biological father never loved him. Draco once said, "He gives me money. He thinks he can buy love. He's wrong. Severus is more of a father to me than Lucius will ever be."

Had Harry ever been to Draco's house? Harry furrowed his brow in thought. Draco's house wasn't as big as Potter Estate or Black Manor and certainly not as big as the Ministry Palace. And Draco told them that his house doesn't have a name like Snape Mansion or Snape Castle because if they give it a name Severus will have a fit. It wasn't big because Severus doesn't like big houses. He's a practical guy.

His thoughts transferred to Remus Lupin. He's still a werewolf but rules have changed. Remus along with James, Sirius, Dumbledore, Moody, the members of the Order of Phoenix were hailed as heroes after the war with Voldemort. Remus especially because he was the one who found the way that ultimately defeated Voldemort. He now lives (alone, unfortunately) in a beautiful house not far from Black Manor. He works as Advisor to the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Spends most of his time in research for different cures, specifically lycanthrope, and writes a column for the Daily Prophet which he partially owns.

Harry was just beginning to wonder about Wormtail when his mother approached him. "Something in your mind, Harry?"

"I'm still trying to separate my nightmare from everything," he sighed. "I'm really sorry for snapping at you, mum."

"It's alright, sweetie. I understand. How can I help you?"

"Where's Wormtail?"

"Wormtail? Your Uncle Pete's been dead for 13 years, Harry."

Harry stared at his mother in shock.

"You know all about it, Harry. Focus. I'm sure it'll come to you."

Wormtail is his uncle? Harry's mind seems to be whirling at full speed. Peter is his uncle because his dad's mom and Peter's mom are sisters. Peter was his parents' Secret-Keeper but he didn't sell his parents to Voldemort. Sirius was captured and tortured by Voldemort to discover the Potter's location, thinking he was the Secret-Keeper. Remus and Peter rescued Sirius. But the Death Eaters overwhelmed them. Voldemort shot the killing curse at Sirius but Peter blocked it. Peter died. Voldemort shot the killing curse at Sirius again it rebounded on Voldemort. Sirius (now scared) and Remus lived through the blast the followed while the other Death Eaters ran off when they saw what happened to Voldemort. Later on, Remus found a way to destroy the ghost-like form that was left of Voldemort. That was the end of it. The Marauders were all given Order of Merlin first class, each.

"In my dream," Harry whispered in a trembling voice, "Wormtail betrayed you to Voldemort. He's a Death Eater. Because of that... I lost you both and had to live with the Dursleys. He also framed Sirius... led others to believe that Sirius betrayed you and dad."

"Oh, dear!" Lily hugged Harry tightly, "No wonder you were so troubled by your dream. But it's just a dream, Harry. We're all safe. Your dad and I are here for you and Liz. And we're not going anywhere, I promise."

"I love you, mum."

"I love you, too, Harry."

"Am I interrupting something?" came Draco's voice from the fireplace.

Harry grinned at his friend. Draco's silver-blonde hair and clothes are covered with ashes.

"There's a clothes brush on the mantle, dear," Lily told Draco. "I'll prepare you kids a snack. The others will be here soon." Lily went to the kitchen.

"You alright, mate?" Draco asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine," Harry replied with a smile.

Moments later they were joined by Ron, Chris, and Caitlyn.

Chris looked exactly like Sirius. Same dark hair and light blue-grey eyes. Caitlyn look nothing like her brother and father though. Her shoulder length jet black hair was pulled back into a not too neat ponytail. She was dressed in jeans, a white shirt that showed off her figure and sneakers. She was as tan as her father and brother. Undoubtedly beautiful and obviously doesn't pay too much attention to her appearance.

"Stop staring at me, Potter," she told Harry.

"I told you to brush your hair," Chris pointed out.

"It's not my fault I can't find the bloody brush! You probably borrowed it!"

"I did not!" Chris said.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Then it was probably dad who took it."

"You should have used a comb."

"I own one brush. No comb. I had several before but you kept on borrowing them! Besides my hair doesn't stick up. I can go out without even brushing it because it's naturally in good condition, always."

"It's not. It's messy. That's why Harry was staring."

"You're just vain," Caitlyn smirked, "Vain enough for both of us."

"Alright, children! Shush!" Ron raised his hands stopping further arguments. "Do I look muggle, enough?"

"Yeah," Harry replied.

"I guess so," Draco said, "But that doesn't mean you're not a fashion disaster. Those bell-bottoms were in during our parents day, Weasley. Who'd you borrow that from? Your dad?"

"Oh. Like you know so much about Muggles. You barely even like Muggles when I first met you, Snape," Ron snapped.

Draco opened his mouth to reply. Harry quickly stepped between the two. The moment Ron and Draco started a row it's always worse than Ron and Hermione's you-are-such-a-know-it-all arguments or Caitlyn and Chris you-are-as-vain-as-dad or i-am-3-minutes-older-than-you debates.

"Honestly, you two. You argue like an old married couple," Harry said with a grin. That shut Ron and Draco up and both glared at Harry.

"Hermione and Ron are the ones who sound like an old married couple," Draco countered.

The twins snickered as Ron's ears turned red.

"Come on, Ron. I have jeans that'll fit you," Harry said. He paused and thought, 'I have jeans that'll fit Ron?'

Ron grinned, "Thanks, Harry!" And Harry realized he and Ron were almost the same height!

"Kids! Have a snack before you go!" Lily called from the kitchen.

"You guys go ahead. Ron and I'll just go to my room."

Harry took a pair of jeans from his walk-in closet and handed it to Ron who changed in the bathroom adjoining Harry's closet.

Harry looked at himself in the mirror. Not only was he taller. He was no longer skinny! He looked at himself closely, noticing the definition in his arms. His eyes were several shades brighter, none of the sadness that seems to lurk in corners. His hair was still messy and there's definitely no scar. In the back of his mind he knows he'd always looked like this but it was still weird... because of that damned dream.

"Why are you staring at yourself?" Ron asked as he came out of the bathroom.

"Er--nothing. Just--"

"Just?"

"Nothing. Forget it. Let's go down before the other finish off our snack."

~*~

It was already mid-afternoon and the Marauders are walking in muggle London, picking on their favorite target: Draco.

"I can just feel the love around me!" Draco grouched.

"We just pick on the ones we like, mate," Harry said.

"In that case, Caitlyn have an unhealthy crush on Parkinson and Ron is obsessed with Granger," Draco smirked at Ron whose ears have turned red.

"Pansy is an annoying twit who's in love with you, Draco," Caitlyn said, grinning.

Draco flinched, "Do you have to remind me of that!"

"Well at least it's not Millicient Bulstrode!" Chris muttered.

The others laughed, "Too bad I didn't have a camera that day she asked you out for the Yule Ball, dear brother," Caitlyn said, grinning.

"Yeah, I didn't think anyone was capable of changing colors that fast. Your face went from red to purple then green to white so fast!" Ron said.

Draco was still snickering, "I thought you were going to faint!"

"Who wouldn't? She's nearly twice my size!"

"She is twice your size, Mr. I-can-hide-behind-my-broomstick-even-if-I-don't-turn-sideways," Harry said, grinning.

"I'm not that thin!" Chris said, indignantly.

"You guys ought to be grateful Hermione's not here, she wouldn't be too happy hearing you insult girls like that," Caitlyn commented.

Their light-hearted bantering continued and Harry tried to block off their conversation. He had spent the time in the movie house sorting out his nightmare.

"Harry? Are you alright? You've been so quiet," Caitlyn looked at him in concern.

"I'm alright."

"Don't let that nightmare get you down."

"How'd you know about that?"

"Mum told me."

"Mum?" But Caitlyn's mother is already dead!

"Yeah. Mum. You know, your mom. Lily Potter. Chris and I call her 'mum' too, remember?"

"Yeah, of course. Sorry," Harry mumbled. During the war with Voldemort, Lily stayed at home and looked after Harry and Sirius' twins. The twins grew up without a mother and Lily became the mother they never had.

"Lighten up, Harry. If Hermione see you like that she'll fuss," Caitlyn said.

"We're meeting Hermione?"

"You're really out of it, aren't you? You're the one who nearly twisted the poor girl's arm so she'd meet us for dinner. She's coming with Neville."

"Is she and Neville going out?" Harry asked without thinking.

"Of course not! What makes you think that? Don't you dare let Ron hear you say that. You know what Ronniekins is like. He's too in love with Hermione to notice."

Harry grinned, "He is, isn't he? He's just too thick to admit it."

"Did any of you two mention my name?" Ron asked, loudly in front of them.

"No!" Harry and Caitlyn answered back with innocent grins.

"This summer is going to be so much fun," Caitlyn whispered.

"Yeah. About time to get Operation Love Match starting, you reckon?"

"Glad you remember that," Caitlyn's eyes danced with mischief. "Before school starts, Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum will be nothing but a distant memory!"