Disclaimer: I own nothing. Harry, Hedwig, Severus (as much as I love him), and everyone else, all belong to JKR and whoever else is in the long list of Harry Potter owners. Tidmag owns the basic plot as he/she (which?) gave me the idea for this story. Also, this is another answer for Severitus' challenge. This story has no relation to my other story written partly in answer to Severitus' challenge because there is no Saerry (except for yours truly). I also do not own Heart or their lyrics.
Summary: Fifth year and Harry finds himself changing. But are they for better or for worse? And what secret lurks behind these changes? A secret only Remus Lupin seems to know.
Added Summary: What if Hermione never comforted Harry in Chapter 10? What if she just took him up to the Hospital Wing? What would Harry have done differently? Beware of angst and dark themes. (story is the same up to Chap10. THEN it gets dark and angsty)
These Dreams-Saerry Snape-
* Dreams in the Mist *
~*~
Spare a little candle
Save some light for me
Figures up ahead
Moving in the trees
White skin in linen
Perfume on my wrist
And the full moon that hangs over
These dreams in the mist
~*~
In Number 04 Privet Drive a fifteen-year-old boy struggled to complete his homework. But this was no ordinary boy and no ordinary homework. The homework was an essay on the effects of Wolfsbane if it was used in a Healing Potion. And the boy was Harry Potter, one of the most famous wizards in the world.
Harry sighed and hunched over his Potions book, searching through every page for information for the two-scroll essay he had to write for Professor Snape, the Potions Master at Harry's school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Sighing, he shoved the half-scroll he had written so far into the book, snapped it shut, and shoved it under his bed. He rolled over and looked up at the ceiling, arms crossed behind his head. It was about 1:00 AM and Harry could clearly hear the sound of his cousin Dudley's snores in the room beyond.
Rolling over again, he looked across the room at the large calendar he had made to mark off the days until he returned to Hogwarts. Only a few more days and he would be back.
Harry also noticed that he had been fifteen for an hour now. Normally his friends Ron and Hermione would send him his birthday presents, along with the Hogwarts gamekeeper Hagrid and his godfather Sirius. But Dumbledore had told them not to contact Harry over the summer and they hadn't. Harry almost wished that his godfather would contact him as he was worried sick about him as Sirius was still wanted for being the 'cause' of his, Harry's, parents death.
Suddenly a large barn owl landed outside his window, which had been barred yet again by Uncle Vernon. Harry leapt up, half-hoping it was from Sirius. But as he untied the letter from the owl's leg he saw the familiar envelope and Hogwarts crest. Sighing, he opened it and skimmed through the familiar writing of Professor McGonagall while the barn owl hooted softly at him.
"Go on. I haven't got anything for you."
The barn owl hooted indignantly and Hedwig screeched at it from her cage. Harry quickly hushed her and waved a hand frantically at the barn owl. He stuffed the Hogwarts letter into his pocket and looked for the sound of a door opening or footsteps. After not hearing either after two minutes he relaxed and brushed his hair back from his face.
Ever since summer began his hair had been growing quicker than normal and was now hanging just below his shoulders. Aunt Petunia had tried to cut it several times but as it had kept growing back she had given up on it.
Hedwig hooted wistfully and Harry walked over to her cage. Reaching through the bars, he ran his hand through her snowy feathers and she gently nipped as his fingers. He smiled at her and said, "Sorry I can't let you out, Hed. But two more weeks and we'll we back at Hogwarts."
Hedwig hooted sleepily and closed her amber eyes. Harry gave her one last pat then walked over and closed the window. Stretching, he yawned then made his way over to his bed. Taking off his glasses, he sat then down on the bedside table then walked over and turned off the light. Hedwig hooted softly and Harry smiled in her direction.
Yawning again, he fell into his bed, jerked the thin blanket of himself, and fell asleep.
~*~
Darkness on the edge
Shadows where I stand
I search for the time
On a watch with no hands
I want to see you clearly
Come closer than this
But all I remember
Are the dreams in the mist
~*~
A/N: What'cha think? Should I write more?