A/N: Thanks to my reviewers!
"Harry was sleeping, thrashing in bed. While visions of Voldemort dance in his head."
ResQgal- I hope so. *grins* Thanks. I'm off to find Sev now and
tell him that he better be in either this chapter or the next. I miss him
already.
Ress- I agree. I was rather pissed at DD in OOtP as well. But
he didn't know until Remus and Harry confirmed it. He just had his suspicions
from earlier that day at Mrs. Figg's. And he DID apologize in OOtP after
all. Not that that could, in any way, bring back Sirius. But yeah, I rather
enjoyed Sirius' way of telling him. Even from beyond the veil, he still
got to share this important news with his godson.
Charma1219- Thanks, for both reviews. We'll see how well Harry
can hold up on this day.
'these' are thoughts
**this** is parseltongue
*~*~*~*~*~*~ is a new perspective or scene
Chapter Six: Nightmares and Dreamscapes.
The four people standing in the Gryffindor common room, still discussing Harry's parentage, froze as a piercing scream rent the air. Then all four burst into action at once, each trying to get up the stairs to the sixth year boy's room. Each trying to make sure Harry was fine. Each trying to be first to his side. But none were prepared for the sight that met them. Harry's scar was a violent red, seeping small drops of blood onto his pillow as he thrashed around in his bed. Dumbledore quickly turned to the others.
"Minerva, go and collect Severus. Tell him to bring a dreamless-sleep potion, and a pain relieving one. Hermione, please go and fetch a cool, wet facecloth. Remus,-"
"No, Albus. I'm not leaving Harry's side." The two ladies were off in a flash, Hermione returning much quicker as she only had to go to the bathroom to find what she needed. She gently cleaned Harry's scar, then lay the cool cloth on his forehead. But he wouldn't stay still long enough for her to keep it there.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*~Dream Sequence~*
Harry was standing in the room at the Department of Mysteries where the only thing occupying the room was a raised dais with an archway on top, a veil covering the archway's entrance. But Harry knew what was coming. His scar was burning fiercely, and all he could see was Sirius' last moments as he fell into the archway. Harry would scream, "NO! SIRIUS!" but to no avail. And each time he would clench his eyes shut, only to open them again and have to watch it all over. And over. And over. Intermingled with his own shouts and tears, there came a cold, high pitched laugh. Then the one person -thing?- that Harry never wanted to see again was there. Voldemort. In all his serpentine glory. He was standing next to Harry, watching as Sirius died again and again, and enjoying it.
**He ssshould have joined me when hissss coussssin did. Then thisss would never have happened.**
**He would never join filth like you, Voldemort.** Harry hissed, not even realizing that he had answered in the same language that Voldemort spoke in. Parseltongue.
**You can make thissss ssstop, you know. You can join me. Together we would be unssstopable. And your friendsss would live.**
**Never! I will never join you. I would die firssst.**
**Then you ssshall! But you will watch everyone you love, everyone you care for, die before you.**
*~End Dream Sequence~*
Harry sat up in bed, panting, not seeing that Remus, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hermione and Snape were watching him. His hand was clamped to his scar, which was bleeding profusely now, and his emerald eyes were glazed. Cold sweat ran down his face and his body was shaking.
"No no no no no no..." he moaned, rocking slightly back and forth on his bed. Then a goblet was thrust before his eyes, and he looked up blankly at Snape.
"Wha'sat?"
"For pain."
He nodded and took the goblet, downing the contents in one gulp and shuddering from the taste. But the pain was gone, and his eyes were clearer now.
"Harry." Remus said. "You have to tell us what happened." He sat on the bed beside Harry and gently sponged away the blood that was still seeping from the scar.
Harry looked up at Remus with sad eyes. "Voldemort." he spat. "He made me... he made me watch Sirius. Again and again."
Remus inhaled sharply, one hand covering his face while the other clenched into a fist. "I'm so sorry, Harry."
"Then, he told me if I joined him, I could stop it. If I joined him, he would spare my friends." His eyes flashed with fire as they settled on Hermione. "I told him," his voice dropped to a whisper, "that I would die first."
"Is this all, Harry?" Dumbledore's kindly voice asked.
"Yeah. The only other thing he said was that Sirius should have joined him when Bellatrix did. And that since I won't join him, I can watch my friends die before I die too. But he can't have them!" His eyes seemed to glow, and his skin suddenly looked as if it had been pulled from pearls. In short, his whole body was glowing, though his startling eyes stood out the most. "I won't let him have them. I'll kill the slimy snake before he gets a chance!" At this last outburst, the windows blew open and the hangings on the beds fluttered angrily. But the most amazing sight to the five watching was Harry himself. He was floating a good six inches above his bed, before he slumped back, the curtains settled, and the glow faded.
Severus Snape got back his equilibrium moments before the others and emptied another vial into the goblet. This he handed to Harry with an order to drink. Harry drank it quickly, not even asking what it was, and drifted off into a dreamless sleep. Remus pulled the blankets up over the shivering boy then turned to leave. Only Hermione remained, watching her best friend. Then she, too, followed the others down the stairs.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Hermione arrived back in the common room, Snape had already round on Dumbledore.
"What the hell was that, Albus?" he hissed.
"I am afraid I cannot answer that, Severus. But maybe you can."
"How am I supposed to know? WHAT am I supposed to know?"
The other three adults shared a look that Snape did not like before McGonagall stepped forward.
"Severus, there are things you need to know."
A/N: Well? How is it so far? Please review and let me know!