Chapter 6: A New Awakening
"Hello, can you hear me?"
*groan*
"Where am I?" Harry asked, when he opened his eyes. No answer came. He looked around and nobody was there. "Strange, I could've sworn I heard someone ask me - oh never mind." Harry picked himself off the ground where he lay and looked around. He was in a heavily wooded area. 'I know I wasn't here when I blacked out.' He thought to himself. 'Where am I?'
"You are where you are Harry Potter."
"Where are you? Who are you?" Harry asked, suddenly scared.
"As for your first question, I am here." A human stepped out of the woods where he had been concealed. "As to your second question, I am of the Xen'Rasha, and am a druid. My name is Nel'shira"
"A druid - but that race died out a thousand years ago. Killed by a Dark Lord."
"We can still choose to appear to some, Harry Potter, when we want to. As for now, I need to appear to you. I need your help."
"You need my help? You can conceal your presence from anyone you wish and from what I read you command powerful magic, and you need my help?" Harry stressed these last two words.
"Yes, well. This is difficult to explain. I am not alive as you know life. I am merely present in your mind Harry Potter. I can only talk to you when you have lost control of your outer conscience and are merely operating on your inner mind."
"Am I in a coma? Is that why you can talk to me now?"
"Yes, the lighting blast sent your body into a coma. But don't worry; you will wake. Your body sends itself into a coma when trauma occurs because it helps to speed the natural healing process. As for now, I wish to talk to you."
"Okay," said Harry. "What about?"
"About natural and elemental magic. You see, wands were not always around. In fact, wands are not the best way of using magic. To fully learn what magic holds for us, you must embrace the magic. You must channel it through yourself. This is how we druids became so powerful."
"How do I do this? I've never heard of any such thing."
"Patience Harry Potter - "
"Call me Harry, just Harry would you. I really hate it when people call me by my full name."
"Alright, Harry. Well as I was saying you must be patient. I guess that we have two days to learn with each other here. First off, I would like to teach you meditation so that I can contact you again." Nel'shira showed Harry how the proper way to sit for meditation was. "Put both of your knees together and sit on your calves. Good, now fold your hands so that they cross over and form an oval. Good. Now I want you to breathe deeply. Inhale for six seconds exhale for four. Now, I want you to do that over and over until you become aware that it is not taking any effort anymore. The breathing cycle will become natural. Focus on moving this point out to help take a full breath." He pointed to right below Harry's navel. "There, good. Now it should take you about five minutes of that everyday to be able to reach me. Once of course, you understand the pattern. Now lets move on to feeling the magic." Nel'shira went on to explain what magic feels like, what it tastes like, what it smells like. At first Harry couldn't feel it, but he continued to try. Finally he felt a slight tingle in the center of his stomach.
"I felt something," he said. "It sort of tingled in my stomach, in the place where I am supposed to concentrate in meditation."
"Good, what you felt was the nature magic. We will continue this lesson until you can feel it more strongly. Then I will explain how to look for the elemental magic, which is much harder to find and much more powerful."
It took Harry the rest of that day to be able to recognize the feel of the nature magic. "Well done Harry, now before you get your rest, practice some of the mediation I taught you. I want to see your progress and if you remember how to 'loosen' yourself up. Harry concentrated on his breathing after positioning himself sitting on the back of his legs. He counted the cycles of ten seconds over and over again. And then, it all slipped away. He could feel the magic coursing through him, as his conscience slipped. He felt power, the raw pure power of true magic. It filled him until he thought he would explode with it. Suddenly it all ended, and he came out of his trancelike state of mind.
"I felt it Nel'shira. I felt the magic flowing through the Earth itself, flowing through me."
"That is wonderful Harry. What you felt is the Earth magic, one of the elemental sorceries. We will concentrate more on that subject tomorrow. But for now I want you to be able to use the nature magic. Can you feel it Harry?" When Harry nodded in the affirmative Nel'shira continued. "Now harness the magic. Force it to make the plants beneath you grow, force it into the ground beneath you." Harry did so and after he had done this he opened his eyes to see what had happened.
The grass beneath him was a good four inches longer than it had been. "Very good Harry, you can now control basic nature magic. You will eventually be able to speed the growing process of all plants, modify the physical characteristics of plants, and speak to animals. This last one is the hardest to accomplish and is what we druids were most famous for. But for now sleep well Harry, you will need your rest come the morrow."
(A/N I realize that is it strange that Harry sleeps in a coma, but think of it as his mind needing the rest, not his body)
Harry woke up the next day, and after a quick look around found that he was still in the 'dream world' as he began calling it.
"Nel'shira? Are you there?"
"Yes Harry, I am here. Are you ready to begin your elemental training?"
"Yes, I am ready."
"First things first, loosen your mind with meditation, try to feel the elemental magic again." Harry positioned himself and slowly began breathing, counting the seconds. Soon, he felt himself slip out of his busy mind and into his inner conscience. He instantly felt the magic fill him again, felt it coursing through his veins. From somewhere outside of his mind came a faint voice, "Harness that magic Harry. Harness it and use it." He tried to corral the magic he felt inside him, and to his surprise he found that with a little effort he could move some of it to one spot of his body. He moved it to his feet and out into the ground. Then he couldn't concentrate any more and snapped out of his meditation. "Well done Harry!" smiled Nel'shira.
Harry looked at the ground beneath him; it was split. He had split part of the Earth. He smiled as Nel'shira continued. "We need to concentrate on many things before you will be fully able to control the elemental magics. You need to be able to reach that power without the aid of meditation, be able to get the magic to have the effect you want, and to be able to harness the power with little to no effort." Harry and Nel'shira worked on controlling the elemental and natural magic that flow through the body and by the end of the day Harry could control the smallest amount of magic without his wand. He could light dry twigs on fire, put cracks in the earth, call up a breeze, raise the humidity in a certain area, and begin the decaying process in wood. These were baby spells, but Harry had come a long way in learning to control his natural and elemental powers.
"Nel'shira, if I may ask, why are wands not good to use?"
"Because Harry, when you use a wand to cast magic it draws on the natural and elemental magics. However, when a spell is cast, the wand sucks some of the magic into itself, thus making the spell lose its full potential. For instance, when you cast a freezing charm with a wand, the target will feel cold to the point of numbness. However when you cast a freezing charm using the water and air elemental magics the target will be completely encased in a block of ice." He demonstrated on a tree. Harry was amazed.
"So, wands aren't bad, but they do weaken the power of the spell that you cast?"
"That is correct."
"So why do you want me to bring elemental and nature magic back to the world?" Harry asked confused.
"There is something coming that will require them. I can see the future from this 'dream world' Harry, and I see dark times ahead. I nee to know if you know three people that you would trust with your life. You will require their help."
"I require their help a lot but why in this case if I may ask."
"Certainly you are entitled to the knowledge. There are eight elements Harry, contrary to popular belief. The four known ones are air, earth, fire, and water. The other four are light, shadow, life, and death. Any single person can only control the four basic elements and one of the advanced elements. Each of you will become elemental masters meaning you will each learn the maximum amount of elements possible. You are already learning to control the death element. This is the most volatile and powerful of the elements and I would only trust you to control it. There are only four elemental masters at any given time in the world. You four will be them and will teach all others one element to control. Do not teach anyone you don't trust. You must ascertain your friend's permissions for me to do this. If and when they are ready to learn teach them the meditation I have taught you and they will learn as you have."
"I will try to help, but I don't know how I can do." Harry said.
"If you put your mind to it, Harry Potter, you can do just about anything."
These were the last words he heard as he drifted off to sleep.
"Will he be alright?"
"Yes, he just had a bit of a shock, actually, quite a large shock. He was hit by lightning."
"Oh my gosh, how long will he be out for?"
"I'd say another day dear."
"Okay, I'll come back tomorrow."
Harry's eyes cracked open and he immediately shut them again as the light flooded in. Everything was so bright. Again he cracked his eyes open. He looked around. 'The infirmary,' he thought to himself. 'Great, can I go one year without ending up in this horrid place?' He rolled over and groaned as Madam Pomfrey came rushing to his side.
"Are you alright dear?" she asked him in a sweet voice.
"Yeah, I'm - I'm fine," Harry answered. "Can I get up and get out of here?"
"No sir, you were struck by lighting! You can't just go - go off running into the halls. You have to be careful and be taken care of!"
"Actually, I feel quite alright. Could I please just go?"
"Absolutely n - "
"Let him go Pomfrey," another voice said. Harry looked over towards where the voice came from. Albus Dumbledore. Harry smiled.
"Thanks headmaster," Harry said as he jumped out of bed. "Bye Madam Pomfrey," he added. He ran out the door hoping to find Ron and Hermione soon. He wanted to tell them he was okay, and let them in on his little secret. He headed first to the Great Hall. As he entered he looked towards the Gryfindor table and waved to a few who saw him, he did not stay however as Ron, Hermione, and Angie were not there. His next target was the Library. As he ran through the halls a voice stopped him.
"If it isn't Potter, back up after detention finally? I thought you were weak Potter, but I didn't think that one detention could do you in like that."
"Can it Malfoy," replied Harry coolly. "Before I accidentally hurt you," he added calmly.
"You, hurt me? You make me laugh Potter. You couldn't harm a fly." He said this last bit while taking out his wand. Everybody present saw Harry go into a sort of deep concentration then they jumped as Malfoy started screaming, "HELP ME!" His clothes were on fire. Goyle, showing some intelligence for once conjured a bucket of water and dumped it on Malfoy, putting out the fire, but drenching him at the same time.
"I don't know how you did that Potter! But I'll get you back!" Draco screamed as Harry ran off towards the library, chuckling all the way. As he reached the library doors, he stopped and calmed himself. Then he swung them open.
The sheer size of the library never failed to amaze him. There were thousands, hundreds of thousands of books in rows that went as far as the eye could see. 'Magically enhanced,' thought Harry. 'There is no way that they got this library to fit inside the building itself. He recalled why he was here however and immediately began searching for his friends. He spotted them towards the back near the Restricted Section. He walked hastily towards them.
"Gee Ron, I sure hope that Harry comes out of this okay," he heard from Hermione.
"Oh, he will, I can feel that he is okay." Angie said. "Yeah I'm sure he will, Harry is not one to give up that easily. Besides, do you think he would let Snape have the satisfaction of knowing that he was the cause of Harry's death?"
"Good point Ron, of course I could never do that."
"Harry!" all three said in unison. They rushed forward, Hermione giving him a hug, Ron patting his back, and a Angie giving him a welcome back 'Thank god you are okay' kiss.
"Well Harry, I knew you would pull through."
"Thanks Ron. I'm glad to know that you have faith in my own self- preservation." They all laughed. "Hey, what do you guys say to getting out of the library and going to the common room to chat?"
"Sure, what about Harry?" asked Hermione.
"I just, I just have something to tell you." As they walked out of the Library he quickly grabbed a book and checked it out. Soon, they reached the portrait hole.
"Griffin," it was Ron that gave the password. The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and said hello to Harry as they all walked in. "So what is it you wanted to tell us, and what is that book you grabbed?"
"Well, to answer your second question first. This book is on meditation, Zen meditation to be more specific. Zen meditation was used by Taoists to calm their inner self. Using this technique they become much more aware of many things, magic and the call of nature to start with. What I wanted to talk to you about, is what happened to me while I was in my coma." He went on to explain all that happened to him in the last two days; everything that he remembered from being hit by lighting to his meeting with Draco in the halls before arriving at the library. They were quiet during his entire explanation, although both let out little gasps of surprise when Harry told them the truth about wands.
Ron couldn't hold in his comments and questions and they all came out in a rush. "So wait, let me get this straight. While you were in a coma a druid contacted you. He told you that wands leach magic and make it less powerful when cast, and taught you how to reach natural and elemental magics so that you can avoid this side effect of wands? And, you will have to use meditation to contact him since you can't just put yourself into a coma repeatedly? Finally, how does this relate to us?"
"Yes Ron, everything that I said happened to me. Wands do leech energy, he showed me the difference. Yes I have to put myself into sort of a trance to reach him, and meditation is the easiest way of doing this. Finally, I can't learn all the elements myself, so I need some help. I plan to teach you three first how to reach this magic. Then we will proceed to Dumbledore and the staff once you have a basic understanding of these new magics and I have a more moderate understanding of them. First, I must teach you meditation. I got this book to assist you." Hermione nearly grabbed the book out of his hands and began reading. "Okay Hermione, you can learn from the book. I'm gonna teach Ron and Angie."
"Fine by me," Hermione answered. "I learn better from books anyway."
"Okay guys, what you have to do is." It took roughly fifteen minutes to explain how to sit and what the absolute basics were. Harry watched Ron as he slowly breathed in and out, controlling all the aspects of his body. Then he saw Ron's body relax and knew that he had fallen into a more relaxed state. "Now, Harry told Ron, start to search for the magic in you." He did likewise to Angie as she relaxed.
After starting Ron and Angie like this Harry saw that Hermione also was in the trance-like state. Finally he did the same and was soon with them in a deep trance. Slowly his vision cleared, though his eyes were closed and he saw Nel'shira approach.
"Ah Harry, you have come back. Not that I didn't think you would, just that, you seem to have so easily attained the relaxed state. That is most peculiar."
"Well, one of the reasons I came back is to tell you that my friends have already agreed and if I read them right they are open to you and your friends now."
"Yes?"
"Yes, They need your help as I am not yet advanced enough in the magic to teach them."
"That's enough Harry, What are your friend's names by the way?"
"Oh, Ron, Hermione, and Angie."
"Thank you, practice your meditation and the focusing of the sorceries while I cam gone." So Harry did these things and after some time Nel'shira came back. "My friends are beginning to teach Ron and Hermione now. You may return to your world now Harry, I can see that you are weary."
"Yes, I am. Thank you Nel'shira." He bowed then departed by letting his senses feed him information from the outside. When he had completely awakened from his trance he glanced at Ron, Hermione, and Angie. They were all in very deep trances. 'Obviously learning,' Harry thought. Harry would have waited for them to wake, but remembering how long his training took he decided against it and headed up to his dorm. He fell asleep as soon as he hit the sheets.
"Is it done?"
"Yes my lord."
"Good Lucius, now, finally, the world will know my true power, something that I had not attained at the height of my prior reign!"
"My lord, what do you plan to do to "educate" the world about your return?"
"Patience Lucius, I will not stupidly go burning towns this time. I will not let them prepare. I believe I will open with a 'Bang.'" Voldemort laughed evilly, his red eyes bright in the dark room.
"My Lord!" Another rushed into the room. "All is set and ready to go!" he said bowing.
"Good, this time, Potter will not escape me. This time, he will die. Wormtail!"
"Yes my lord?" asked a small man standing off to the side of the room.
"Is your part of the job done?"
"Yes my lord, but I must ask, is killing Harry Potter necessary my lord?"
"YES! Have you learned nothing Wormtail? The prophecy! Potter must be killed by his last year of Hogwarts! For your weakness of mind! CRUCIO!"
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Wormtail screamed in pain.
Harry woke up sweating, his scar bleeding. "Voldemort," he whispered, "I must tell Dumbledore. Harry cautiously got out of bed, not wanting to wake the others. He grabbed his invisibility cloak from among his things and donned it. Then he stepped out of the Gryfindor common room and hurried towards the headmaster's office holding his forehead all the way.
Harry reached the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office and Quarters. "Damn, I don't know the password, ummm. Bernie Bott's Every Flavored Beans." Nothing. "Licorice Sticks." Nothing. "Jelly Beans, Snickers, Chocolate Frogs, Baby Ruth's!" the gargoyle sprang aside. "Baby Ruth's? That man is getting more and more crazy." Harry ran up the stairs and knocked on the headmaster's door.
The door slowly opened and revealed Dumbledore in his nightgown. "Yes Harry, what is it?"
"Professor, I had a dream."
That was all it took. Dumbledore ushered Harry inside and set him on a chair, conjured up some coffee for the both of them, cleaned Harry's scar and then asked, "What was it about Harry?"
"Well, Voldemort is planning something, something big, my death to be exact. Not that that really helps us, he's been planning that since I was one. But this time it's different, he was, elated, like he finally had me. And he said something about a prophesy."
Dumbledore's eyebrows raised a bit at this news, but quickly lowered into their natural positions. "Hmm, this is interesting Harry, but for now, go back to sleep. I must console with the rest of the staff and the "old crowd'." This last bit was added quietly.
Harry took this as his dismissal and left the headmaster's office and headed back up to the Gryfindor Common Room. There, he decided to reach Nel'shira. He sat on the floor, and went into a deep trance. "Nel'shira, I need to talk to you. Nel'shira?"
"I am here Harry, and am glad you have come. I know already about the dream you just had." Harry looked a little surprised at this news. "Now, it is time for you to know."
"Know what Nel'shira?"
"The future Harry, the future." Nel'shira muttered one word under his breath and Harry felt as though he was hit by a freight train. It happened so fast, but he saw it all as if in slow motion. A spell, a fight, and a bright green flash of light, then blackness. "Now you know Harry, now you know what you must do."
Harry could only stare in wide-eyed fear and nod his head. "Yes, Nel'shira, I know."
"Hello, can you hear me?"
*groan*
"Where am I?" Harry asked, when he opened his eyes. No answer came. He looked around and nobody was there. "Strange, I could've sworn I heard someone ask me - oh never mind." Harry picked himself off the ground where he lay and looked around. He was in a heavily wooded area. 'I know I wasn't here when I blacked out.' He thought to himself. 'Where am I?'
"You are where you are Harry Potter."
"Where are you? Who are you?" Harry asked, suddenly scared.
"As for your first question, I am here." A human stepped out of the woods where he had been concealed. "As to your second question, I am of the Xen'Rasha, and am a druid. My name is Nel'shira"
"A druid - but that race died out a thousand years ago. Killed by a Dark Lord."
"We can still choose to appear to some, Harry Potter, when we want to. As for now, I need to appear to you. I need your help."
"You need my help? You can conceal your presence from anyone you wish and from what I read you command powerful magic, and you need my help?" Harry stressed these last two words.
"Yes, well. This is difficult to explain. I am not alive as you know life. I am merely present in your mind Harry Potter. I can only talk to you when you have lost control of your outer conscience and are merely operating on your inner mind."
"Am I in a coma? Is that why you can talk to me now?"
"Yes, the lighting blast sent your body into a coma. But don't worry; you will wake. Your body sends itself into a coma when trauma occurs because it helps to speed the natural healing process. As for now, I wish to talk to you."
"Okay," said Harry. "What about?"
"About natural and elemental magic. You see, wands were not always around. In fact, wands are not the best way of using magic. To fully learn what magic holds for us, you must embrace the magic. You must channel it through yourself. This is how we druids became so powerful."
"How do I do this? I've never heard of any such thing."
"Patience Harry Potter - "
"Call me Harry, just Harry would you. I really hate it when people call me by my full name."
"Alright, Harry. Well as I was saying you must be patient. I guess that we have two days to learn with each other here. First off, I would like to teach you meditation so that I can contact you again." Nel'shira showed Harry how the proper way to sit for meditation was. "Put both of your knees together and sit on your calves. Good, now fold your hands so that they cross over and form an oval. Good. Now I want you to breathe deeply. Inhale for six seconds exhale for four. Now, I want you to do that over and over until you become aware that it is not taking any effort anymore. The breathing cycle will become natural. Focus on moving this point out to help take a full breath." He pointed to right below Harry's navel. "There, good. Now it should take you about five minutes of that everyday to be able to reach me. Once of course, you understand the pattern. Now lets move on to feeling the magic." Nel'shira went on to explain what magic feels like, what it tastes like, what it smells like. At first Harry couldn't feel it, but he continued to try. Finally he felt a slight tingle in the center of his stomach.
"I felt something," he said. "It sort of tingled in my stomach, in the place where I am supposed to concentrate in meditation."
"Good, what you felt was the nature magic. We will continue this lesson until you can feel it more strongly. Then I will explain how to look for the elemental magic, which is much harder to find and much more powerful."
It took Harry the rest of that day to be able to recognize the feel of the nature magic. "Well done Harry, now before you get your rest, practice some of the mediation I taught you. I want to see your progress and if you remember how to 'loosen' yourself up. Harry concentrated on his breathing after positioning himself sitting on the back of his legs. He counted the cycles of ten seconds over and over again. And then, it all slipped away. He could feel the magic coursing through him, as his conscience slipped. He felt power, the raw pure power of true magic. It filled him until he thought he would explode with it. Suddenly it all ended, and he came out of his trancelike state of mind.
"I felt it Nel'shira. I felt the magic flowing through the Earth itself, flowing through me."
"That is wonderful Harry. What you felt is the Earth magic, one of the elemental sorceries. We will concentrate more on that subject tomorrow. But for now I want you to be able to use the nature magic. Can you feel it Harry?" When Harry nodded in the affirmative Nel'shira continued. "Now harness the magic. Force it to make the plants beneath you grow, force it into the ground beneath you." Harry did so and after he had done this he opened his eyes to see what had happened.
The grass beneath him was a good four inches longer than it had been. "Very good Harry, you can now control basic nature magic. You will eventually be able to speed the growing process of all plants, modify the physical characteristics of plants, and speak to animals. This last one is the hardest to accomplish and is what we druids were most famous for. But for now sleep well Harry, you will need your rest come the morrow."
(A/N I realize that is it strange that Harry sleeps in a coma, but think of it as his mind needing the rest, not his body)
Harry woke up the next day, and after a quick look around found that he was still in the 'dream world' as he began calling it.
"Nel'shira? Are you there?"
"Yes Harry, I am here. Are you ready to begin your elemental training?"
"Yes, I am ready."
"First things first, loosen your mind with meditation, try to feel the elemental magic again." Harry positioned himself and slowly began breathing, counting the seconds. Soon, he felt himself slip out of his busy mind and into his inner conscience. He instantly felt the magic fill him again, felt it coursing through his veins. From somewhere outside of his mind came a faint voice, "Harness that magic Harry. Harness it and use it." He tried to corral the magic he felt inside him, and to his surprise he found that with a little effort he could move some of it to one spot of his body. He moved it to his feet and out into the ground. Then he couldn't concentrate any more and snapped out of his meditation. "Well done Harry!" smiled Nel'shira.
Harry looked at the ground beneath him; it was split. He had split part of the Earth. He smiled as Nel'shira continued. "We need to concentrate on many things before you will be fully able to control the elemental magics. You need to be able to reach that power without the aid of meditation, be able to get the magic to have the effect you want, and to be able to harness the power with little to no effort." Harry and Nel'shira worked on controlling the elemental and natural magic that flow through the body and by the end of the day Harry could control the smallest amount of magic without his wand. He could light dry twigs on fire, put cracks in the earth, call up a breeze, raise the humidity in a certain area, and begin the decaying process in wood. These were baby spells, but Harry had come a long way in learning to control his natural and elemental powers.
"Nel'shira, if I may ask, why are wands not good to use?"
"Because Harry, when you use a wand to cast magic it draws on the natural and elemental magics. However, when a spell is cast, the wand sucks some of the magic into itself, thus making the spell lose its full potential. For instance, when you cast a freezing charm with a wand, the target will feel cold to the point of numbness. However when you cast a freezing charm using the water and air elemental magics the target will be completely encased in a block of ice." He demonstrated on a tree. Harry was amazed.
"So, wands aren't bad, but they do weaken the power of the spell that you cast?"
"That is correct."
"So why do you want me to bring elemental and nature magic back to the world?" Harry asked confused.
"There is something coming that will require them. I can see the future from this 'dream world' Harry, and I see dark times ahead. I nee to know if you know three people that you would trust with your life. You will require their help."
"I require their help a lot but why in this case if I may ask."
"Certainly you are entitled to the knowledge. There are eight elements Harry, contrary to popular belief. The four known ones are air, earth, fire, and water. The other four are light, shadow, life, and death. Any single person can only control the four basic elements and one of the advanced elements. Each of you will become elemental masters meaning you will each learn the maximum amount of elements possible. You are already learning to control the death element. This is the most volatile and powerful of the elements and I would only trust you to control it. There are only four elemental masters at any given time in the world. You four will be them and will teach all others one element to control. Do not teach anyone you don't trust. You must ascertain your friend's permissions for me to do this. If and when they are ready to learn teach them the meditation I have taught you and they will learn as you have."
"I will try to help, but I don't know how I can do." Harry said.
"If you put your mind to it, Harry Potter, you can do just about anything."
These were the last words he heard as he drifted off to sleep.
"Will he be alright?"
"Yes, he just had a bit of a shock, actually, quite a large shock. He was hit by lightning."
"Oh my gosh, how long will he be out for?"
"I'd say another day dear."
"Okay, I'll come back tomorrow."
Harry's eyes cracked open and he immediately shut them again as the light flooded in. Everything was so bright. Again he cracked his eyes open. He looked around. 'The infirmary,' he thought to himself. 'Great, can I go one year without ending up in this horrid place?' He rolled over and groaned as Madam Pomfrey came rushing to his side.
"Are you alright dear?" she asked him in a sweet voice.
"Yeah, I'm - I'm fine," Harry answered. "Can I get up and get out of here?"
"No sir, you were struck by lighting! You can't just go - go off running into the halls. You have to be careful and be taken care of!"
"Actually, I feel quite alright. Could I please just go?"
"Absolutely n - "
"Let him go Pomfrey," another voice said. Harry looked over towards where the voice came from. Albus Dumbledore. Harry smiled.
"Thanks headmaster," Harry said as he jumped out of bed. "Bye Madam Pomfrey," he added. He ran out the door hoping to find Ron and Hermione soon. He wanted to tell them he was okay, and let them in on his little secret. He headed first to the Great Hall. As he entered he looked towards the Gryfindor table and waved to a few who saw him, he did not stay however as Ron, Hermione, and Angie were not there. His next target was the Library. As he ran through the halls a voice stopped him.
"If it isn't Potter, back up after detention finally? I thought you were weak Potter, but I didn't think that one detention could do you in like that."
"Can it Malfoy," replied Harry coolly. "Before I accidentally hurt you," he added calmly.
"You, hurt me? You make me laugh Potter. You couldn't harm a fly." He said this last bit while taking out his wand. Everybody present saw Harry go into a sort of deep concentration then they jumped as Malfoy started screaming, "HELP ME!" His clothes were on fire. Goyle, showing some intelligence for once conjured a bucket of water and dumped it on Malfoy, putting out the fire, but drenching him at the same time.
"I don't know how you did that Potter! But I'll get you back!" Draco screamed as Harry ran off towards the library, chuckling all the way. As he reached the library doors, he stopped and calmed himself. Then he swung them open.
The sheer size of the library never failed to amaze him. There were thousands, hundreds of thousands of books in rows that went as far as the eye could see. 'Magically enhanced,' thought Harry. 'There is no way that they got this library to fit inside the building itself. He recalled why he was here however and immediately began searching for his friends. He spotted them towards the back near the Restricted Section. He walked hastily towards them.
"Gee Ron, I sure hope that Harry comes out of this okay," he heard from Hermione.
"Oh, he will, I can feel that he is okay." Angie said. "Yeah I'm sure he will, Harry is not one to give up that easily. Besides, do you think he would let Snape have the satisfaction of knowing that he was the cause of Harry's death?"
"Good point Ron, of course I could never do that."
"Harry!" all three said in unison. They rushed forward, Hermione giving him a hug, Ron patting his back, and a Angie giving him a welcome back 'Thank god you are okay' kiss.
"Well Harry, I knew you would pull through."
"Thanks Ron. I'm glad to know that you have faith in my own self- preservation." They all laughed. "Hey, what do you guys say to getting out of the library and going to the common room to chat?"
"Sure, what about Harry?" asked Hermione.
"I just, I just have something to tell you." As they walked out of the Library he quickly grabbed a book and checked it out. Soon, they reached the portrait hole.
"Griffin," it was Ron that gave the password. The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and said hello to Harry as they all walked in. "So what is it you wanted to tell us, and what is that book you grabbed?"
"Well, to answer your second question first. This book is on meditation, Zen meditation to be more specific. Zen meditation was used by Taoists to calm their inner self. Using this technique they become much more aware of many things, magic and the call of nature to start with. What I wanted to talk to you about, is what happened to me while I was in my coma." He went on to explain all that happened to him in the last two days; everything that he remembered from being hit by lighting to his meeting with Draco in the halls before arriving at the library. They were quiet during his entire explanation, although both let out little gasps of surprise when Harry told them the truth about wands.
Ron couldn't hold in his comments and questions and they all came out in a rush. "So wait, let me get this straight. While you were in a coma a druid contacted you. He told you that wands leach magic and make it less powerful when cast, and taught you how to reach natural and elemental magics so that you can avoid this side effect of wands? And, you will have to use meditation to contact him since you can't just put yourself into a coma repeatedly? Finally, how does this relate to us?"
"Yes Ron, everything that I said happened to me. Wands do leech energy, he showed me the difference. Yes I have to put myself into sort of a trance to reach him, and meditation is the easiest way of doing this. Finally, I can't learn all the elements myself, so I need some help. I plan to teach you three first how to reach this magic. Then we will proceed to Dumbledore and the staff once you have a basic understanding of these new magics and I have a more moderate understanding of them. First, I must teach you meditation. I got this book to assist you." Hermione nearly grabbed the book out of his hands and began reading. "Okay Hermione, you can learn from the book. I'm gonna teach Ron and Angie."
"Fine by me," Hermione answered. "I learn better from books anyway."
"Okay guys, what you have to do is." It took roughly fifteen minutes to explain how to sit and what the absolute basics were. Harry watched Ron as he slowly breathed in and out, controlling all the aspects of his body. Then he saw Ron's body relax and knew that he had fallen into a more relaxed state. "Now, Harry told Ron, start to search for the magic in you." He did likewise to Angie as she relaxed.
After starting Ron and Angie like this Harry saw that Hermione also was in the trance-like state. Finally he did the same and was soon with them in a deep trance. Slowly his vision cleared, though his eyes were closed and he saw Nel'shira approach.
"Ah Harry, you have come back. Not that I didn't think you would, just that, you seem to have so easily attained the relaxed state. That is most peculiar."
"Well, one of the reasons I came back is to tell you that my friends have already agreed and if I read them right they are open to you and your friends now."
"Yes?"
"Yes, They need your help as I am not yet advanced enough in the magic to teach them."
"That's enough Harry, What are your friend's names by the way?"
"Oh, Ron, Hermione, and Angie."
"Thank you, practice your meditation and the focusing of the sorceries while I cam gone." So Harry did these things and after some time Nel'shira came back. "My friends are beginning to teach Ron and Hermione now. You may return to your world now Harry, I can see that you are weary."
"Yes, I am. Thank you Nel'shira." He bowed then departed by letting his senses feed him information from the outside. When he had completely awakened from his trance he glanced at Ron, Hermione, and Angie. They were all in very deep trances. 'Obviously learning,' Harry thought. Harry would have waited for them to wake, but remembering how long his training took he decided against it and headed up to his dorm. He fell asleep as soon as he hit the sheets.
"Is it done?"
"Yes my lord."
"Good Lucius, now, finally, the world will know my true power, something that I had not attained at the height of my prior reign!"
"My lord, what do you plan to do to "educate" the world about your return?"
"Patience Lucius, I will not stupidly go burning towns this time. I will not let them prepare. I believe I will open with a 'Bang.'" Voldemort laughed evilly, his red eyes bright in the dark room.
"My Lord!" Another rushed into the room. "All is set and ready to go!" he said bowing.
"Good, this time, Potter will not escape me. This time, he will die. Wormtail!"
"Yes my lord?" asked a small man standing off to the side of the room.
"Is your part of the job done?"
"Yes my lord, but I must ask, is killing Harry Potter necessary my lord?"
"YES! Have you learned nothing Wormtail? The prophecy! Potter must be killed by his last year of Hogwarts! For your weakness of mind! CRUCIO!"
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Wormtail screamed in pain.
Harry woke up sweating, his scar bleeding. "Voldemort," he whispered, "I must tell Dumbledore. Harry cautiously got out of bed, not wanting to wake the others. He grabbed his invisibility cloak from among his things and donned it. Then he stepped out of the Gryfindor common room and hurried towards the headmaster's office holding his forehead all the way.
Harry reached the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office and Quarters. "Damn, I don't know the password, ummm. Bernie Bott's Every Flavored Beans." Nothing. "Licorice Sticks." Nothing. "Jelly Beans, Snickers, Chocolate Frogs, Baby Ruth's!" the gargoyle sprang aside. "Baby Ruth's? That man is getting more and more crazy." Harry ran up the stairs and knocked on the headmaster's door.
The door slowly opened and revealed Dumbledore in his nightgown. "Yes Harry, what is it?"
"Professor, I had a dream."
That was all it took. Dumbledore ushered Harry inside and set him on a chair, conjured up some coffee for the both of them, cleaned Harry's scar and then asked, "What was it about Harry?"
"Well, Voldemort is planning something, something big, my death to be exact. Not that that really helps us, he's been planning that since I was one. But this time it's different, he was, elated, like he finally had me. And he said something about a prophesy."
Dumbledore's eyebrows raised a bit at this news, but quickly lowered into their natural positions. "Hmm, this is interesting Harry, but for now, go back to sleep. I must console with the rest of the staff and the "old crowd'." This last bit was added quietly.
Harry took this as his dismissal and left the headmaster's office and headed back up to the Gryfindor Common Room. There, he decided to reach Nel'shira. He sat on the floor, and went into a deep trance. "Nel'shira, I need to talk to you. Nel'shira?"
"I am here Harry, and am glad you have come. I know already about the dream you just had." Harry looked a little surprised at this news. "Now, it is time for you to know."
"Know what Nel'shira?"
"The future Harry, the future." Nel'shira muttered one word under his breath and Harry felt as though he was hit by a freight train. It happened so fast, but he saw it all as if in slow motion. A spell, a fight, and a bright green flash of light, then blackness. "Now you know Harry, now you know what you must do."
Harry could only stare in wide-eyed fear and nod his head. "Yes, Nel'shira, I know."