Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is the Queen and I am just a pawn, okay maybe not
a pawn. Maybe a knight, or a bishop. Then again, I guess I am just a stupid
pawn, hmmm...I wonder what she would say....
Harry Potter and the Mage of Lemarac
Chapter 2: What Dreams May Come
The warm morning sun shone down on Harry's face, waking him. He lay a moment in the soft cocoon of covers before reaching out to his nightstand for his glasses. By the amount of sunlight coming in he could tell that it was about mid morning, and sure enough by he door was a tray with what looked like breakfast. He got up and took the food back to the bed with him. With it was a small note, it read:
Went vacationing to relatives, be back in one week. Meals in the Freezer.. -Your relations
For the first time in weeks Harry could feel the happiness well up inside of him. The Dursleys gone, bliss, he thought. A familiar smile now on his face, he looked down at the breakfast. Just as he was going to bite into a blackened piece of toast a large barn owl swooped into the room, landing at the foot of his bed. On its leg was a rather thick envelope with the big red letters O.W.L. sprawled across it. Harry sighed. These were the scores that he had waited the last six weeks for, and now he was too nervous to look. This little envelope could, would, change his life; they would determine whether or not he could become an auror. He remembered what McGonagall had said last year, that he would need at least an E in Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense against the Dark Arts. It was the last score, an O in potions that worried him most, so much depended on these scores. Harry felt his stomach clench as he held the envelope in his trembling hands. He turned it over once or twice before breaking the wax seal, and out fell a large wad a parchment. Pulling off the first piece, he read:
~~The following Scores belong to a Mr. Harry J. Potter~~
Key: O - outstanding, E - exceeds expectations, A - acceptable, P - poor, D - dreadful
A - Astronomy E - Charms O - Care of Magical Creatures O - Defense Against the Dark Arts A - Divination E - Herbology E - Potions
~~ ~~ ~~
Harry's stomach seemed to sink even deeper. He needed that O, without it his future as an auror was shot. Any other time in his life he would be jumping for joy to get an E in potions, and would be wondering how low the expectation was, but now it seemed all his hard work was down the tube. The paper fell from his hands. Not bothering to read the rest of the stack he brushed it off the bed. He could feel anger rising in him and severe disappointment in himself. He had failed again, just as he had failed Sirius, all his fault. Anger mounted in him, and the once sunny morning became clouded over in his gloom. He wondered how Ron and Hermione did.
" I hope they fail," he said to himself. He could see Hermione smiling happily as she pulled out her letter; O's across the board. Hugging Ron warmly as they went off and became aurors without him. He slammed the breakfast tray to the floor and crawled back under the covers. No longer hungry or happy, he planned to sleep the day away.
*** *** ***
A sharp jab in his side pulled Harry out of sleep, he grimaced, and rolled over trying to fall back into dreamland. He felt another jab, but this time ignored it, then he heard a familiar chuckle.
" Doesn't want to wake up now, does he?" said Ron cheerfully, " Come on."
" Oh, stop Ron. Do you have to keep poking him? Can't you wake him like a normal person," Hermione nagged.
" Come off it, Hermione."
" Leave him be."
" Do I need to leave you and Harry alone, Hermione," Ron said jokingly. At this Harry reached out for his spectacles, and them rolled over to stare up at his two best friends. Ron looked the same as always, maybe a little taller, his flaming red hair standing out even in the darkened room. Hermione seemed to have gotten a tan and her face was now dotted with small brown freckles, but a side from that, looked like her old self. Still staring at his friends, it just began to sink in that they were in his room, but what were they doing here??
" What-..How-....I thought that I couldn't leave the house," he stammered.
" Well, you're not, Harry, that's why we've come to you," said Ron brightly.
" We wanted to make sure that you were alright after what happened," Hermione said smiling weakly, all of this hardly making Harry feel any better.
" Wanted to make sure the muggles were feeding you okay," said Ron, still smiling, but now holding a piece of charred toast in his hand. Harry smiled at this; his food here defiantly wasn't gourmet dining. "Yeah, my mom enchanted that cooler in the corner to constantly refill itself when we're hungry," Ron continued, pointing to a large green cooler next to Harry's desk, " She packed it well too, plenty of junk."
" Yes, we each brought enough cloths to stay at least a week," Hermione piped up, " and your aunt and uncle are gone on a little trip, right?"
" Yes," Harry said excitedly, his heart seeming to lighten with every moment. An entire week with his friends, it would distract him, and maybe they could get out a little. He sat up suddenly. It seemed that they had over looked something in all the excitement. " What about Dumbledore?" Harry said, his happiness already starting to dissipate.
" Well...uh...we didn't exactly ask him, Harry," said Ron sheepishly.
"What?!"
" Well...er...he can't say no if we don't ask, right?" at seeing the startled look on Harry's face he babbled on, " Me mom and dad know..." Harry still was stunned.
" It wasn't my idea!!" Ron sputtered defensively. Harry turned to Hermione who, now rather red in the face, was gazing bashfully toward the floor.
" This was your idea?!" Harry said startled. She turned her face up toward him looking him blankly in the face and gave a curt nod. Anger that he had been feeling just moments ago suddenly evaporated. He felt himself smiling again. "Well Hermione...it's brilliant!" Harry laughed getting out of bed and embracing his two friends, they both hugging back apparently relieve that he was not upset with them. The rest of the evening was spent in happy reunion (eating plenty of bad food that Ron's mom packed) and eventually falling into one of Harry's first peaceful sleeps of the summer.
*** *** ***
An icy shrill laugh brought Harry back into conciseness, a cold stone floor beneath him. He was sitting in a large stone hall; two lengthy wooden tables were feet from him. The smell of musty furnishings and dankness filled his nostrils, a thin layer of dust over everything. It appeared to be a very old dining hall, and from his quick look around Harry could have sworn he had been here before. Brushing his unruly hair out of his eyes, he saw straight through his forearm. Without even becoming alarmed he realized this was in fact a dream.
" You will hand over the pieces, or you will die," a voice said suddenly piercing the silence. Now there were two figures in Harry's sight. What sounded like a girl was about ten feet in front of him between the two tables. He could not make her form or her face, because she was draped in heavy white robes from head to toe, a wand poised in her hand. Down near the other end of the hall was a figure Harry knew quite well.
" The best aurors of the century haven't been able to stop me. You really think I am going to be threatened by a little girl," Voldemort laughed, that same cold shriek that sent a twinge of pain through Harry's scar. Just a dream, he repeated to himself.
" Why not, you were almost killed by a baby," she said, her voice unwavering. A shadow fell across the dark lord's face.
" I'm afraid I tire of your games, mage. The pieces are all stored safely away, and once you are dead and I acquire the last piece, I will play!" A smile once again on Voldemort's face.
" You will never play while I'm alive!" she shouted now.
" That can be arranged," he smirked. Suddenly an orange bolt of lighting flew from his wand. She narrowly ducked out of the way, the curse shattering one of the wooden benches.
" Crucio!" She yelled, but he muttered the counter curse and it to came flying back at her. She ducked again.
" You really wouldn't be a bad deatheater, I am surprised at how easily you said an unforgivable curse, with such passion. Isn't that a Hogwarts no no." Harry's ears perked up. Did this girl go to Hogwarts?
" Let's end this," she said. Immediately another curse came at her, this time she reacted too late. She dodged, but the spell caught her hip. The white figure flew back six or seven feet, landing hard on the stone floor. A dark red spot penetrating the white cleanness of the robes, it was spreading quickly. Her screams echoed off the walls, Voldemort smiled.
" I offered you instant death, and you tried to combat it. But I like this better, a slow and painful death, alone, is what you deserve," he continued, " At least your sister accepted that I was going to kill her. You look like her now, except she was much more serene. Oh well." He flicked his wand and she flew back into the air again, landing about five feet further back, close to Harry. Her scream pierced the air again, a puddle of blood where she was just laying. This time she landed on her back, the hood still covering her face. Harry could see her chest move up and down with each shallow gasp of air. Voldemort chuckled and then walked out of the hall through the back, leaving the girl to die. She continued gasping for a few more moments before lying still.
The background faded around Harry, and he was surrounded in a room of darkness. Across from him stood the girl, clean again, standing about a meter away. She stepped closer, her hood still falling in front of her face. Standing close now, two glove covered hands emerged from her sleeves and reached out for Harry's face. She leaned in as though she was going to kiss him, but instead bent toward his ear, her cheek brushing against his. Cool skin against his warm flesh.
" Stay away." she whispered as she pulled away. The world seemed to fade around him and he once again felt the familiar sensation of waking up. Harry opened his eyes, stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment before reaching over for his glasses. Rubbing his eyes he sat up. Hermione and Ron were still both sleeping on there separate cots, when he noticed the change. All around the room was a white paper chain, of what looked like a raven. Each one signed, " The Mage." Suddenly very alert, he realized that some had been in the house, only moments ago. That what he just dreamt was no ordinary dream.
" What does this mean?" he said bewildered.
A/n: Thanks for the reviews everyone. Please keep it up; your feedback is greatly appreciated! And thanks for the name suggestions!
Harry Potter and the Mage of Lemarac
Chapter 2: What Dreams May Come
The warm morning sun shone down on Harry's face, waking him. He lay a moment in the soft cocoon of covers before reaching out to his nightstand for his glasses. By the amount of sunlight coming in he could tell that it was about mid morning, and sure enough by he door was a tray with what looked like breakfast. He got up and took the food back to the bed with him. With it was a small note, it read:
Went vacationing to relatives, be back in one week. Meals in the Freezer.. -Your relations
For the first time in weeks Harry could feel the happiness well up inside of him. The Dursleys gone, bliss, he thought. A familiar smile now on his face, he looked down at the breakfast. Just as he was going to bite into a blackened piece of toast a large barn owl swooped into the room, landing at the foot of his bed. On its leg was a rather thick envelope with the big red letters O.W.L. sprawled across it. Harry sighed. These were the scores that he had waited the last six weeks for, and now he was too nervous to look. This little envelope could, would, change his life; they would determine whether or not he could become an auror. He remembered what McGonagall had said last year, that he would need at least an E in Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense against the Dark Arts. It was the last score, an O in potions that worried him most, so much depended on these scores. Harry felt his stomach clench as he held the envelope in his trembling hands. He turned it over once or twice before breaking the wax seal, and out fell a large wad a parchment. Pulling off the first piece, he read:
~~The following Scores belong to a Mr. Harry J. Potter~~
Key: O - outstanding, E - exceeds expectations, A - acceptable, P - poor, D - dreadful
A - Astronomy E - Charms O - Care of Magical Creatures O - Defense Against the Dark Arts A - Divination E - Herbology E - Potions
~~ ~~ ~~
Harry's stomach seemed to sink even deeper. He needed that O, without it his future as an auror was shot. Any other time in his life he would be jumping for joy to get an E in potions, and would be wondering how low the expectation was, but now it seemed all his hard work was down the tube. The paper fell from his hands. Not bothering to read the rest of the stack he brushed it off the bed. He could feel anger rising in him and severe disappointment in himself. He had failed again, just as he had failed Sirius, all his fault. Anger mounted in him, and the once sunny morning became clouded over in his gloom. He wondered how Ron and Hermione did.
" I hope they fail," he said to himself. He could see Hermione smiling happily as she pulled out her letter; O's across the board. Hugging Ron warmly as they went off and became aurors without him. He slammed the breakfast tray to the floor and crawled back under the covers. No longer hungry or happy, he planned to sleep the day away.
*** *** ***
A sharp jab in his side pulled Harry out of sleep, he grimaced, and rolled over trying to fall back into dreamland. He felt another jab, but this time ignored it, then he heard a familiar chuckle.
" Doesn't want to wake up now, does he?" said Ron cheerfully, " Come on."
" Oh, stop Ron. Do you have to keep poking him? Can't you wake him like a normal person," Hermione nagged.
" Come off it, Hermione."
" Leave him be."
" Do I need to leave you and Harry alone, Hermione," Ron said jokingly. At this Harry reached out for his spectacles, and them rolled over to stare up at his two best friends. Ron looked the same as always, maybe a little taller, his flaming red hair standing out even in the darkened room. Hermione seemed to have gotten a tan and her face was now dotted with small brown freckles, but a side from that, looked like her old self. Still staring at his friends, it just began to sink in that they were in his room, but what were they doing here??
" What-..How-....I thought that I couldn't leave the house," he stammered.
" Well, you're not, Harry, that's why we've come to you," said Ron brightly.
" We wanted to make sure that you were alright after what happened," Hermione said smiling weakly, all of this hardly making Harry feel any better.
" Wanted to make sure the muggles were feeding you okay," said Ron, still smiling, but now holding a piece of charred toast in his hand. Harry smiled at this; his food here defiantly wasn't gourmet dining. "Yeah, my mom enchanted that cooler in the corner to constantly refill itself when we're hungry," Ron continued, pointing to a large green cooler next to Harry's desk, " She packed it well too, plenty of junk."
" Yes, we each brought enough cloths to stay at least a week," Hermione piped up, " and your aunt and uncle are gone on a little trip, right?"
" Yes," Harry said excitedly, his heart seeming to lighten with every moment. An entire week with his friends, it would distract him, and maybe they could get out a little. He sat up suddenly. It seemed that they had over looked something in all the excitement. " What about Dumbledore?" Harry said, his happiness already starting to dissipate.
" Well...uh...we didn't exactly ask him, Harry," said Ron sheepishly.
"What?!"
" Well...er...he can't say no if we don't ask, right?" at seeing the startled look on Harry's face he babbled on, " Me mom and dad know..." Harry still was stunned.
" It wasn't my idea!!" Ron sputtered defensively. Harry turned to Hermione who, now rather red in the face, was gazing bashfully toward the floor.
" This was your idea?!" Harry said startled. She turned her face up toward him looking him blankly in the face and gave a curt nod. Anger that he had been feeling just moments ago suddenly evaporated. He felt himself smiling again. "Well Hermione...it's brilliant!" Harry laughed getting out of bed and embracing his two friends, they both hugging back apparently relieve that he was not upset with them. The rest of the evening was spent in happy reunion (eating plenty of bad food that Ron's mom packed) and eventually falling into one of Harry's first peaceful sleeps of the summer.
*** *** ***
An icy shrill laugh brought Harry back into conciseness, a cold stone floor beneath him. He was sitting in a large stone hall; two lengthy wooden tables were feet from him. The smell of musty furnishings and dankness filled his nostrils, a thin layer of dust over everything. It appeared to be a very old dining hall, and from his quick look around Harry could have sworn he had been here before. Brushing his unruly hair out of his eyes, he saw straight through his forearm. Without even becoming alarmed he realized this was in fact a dream.
" You will hand over the pieces, or you will die," a voice said suddenly piercing the silence. Now there were two figures in Harry's sight. What sounded like a girl was about ten feet in front of him between the two tables. He could not make her form or her face, because she was draped in heavy white robes from head to toe, a wand poised in her hand. Down near the other end of the hall was a figure Harry knew quite well.
" The best aurors of the century haven't been able to stop me. You really think I am going to be threatened by a little girl," Voldemort laughed, that same cold shriek that sent a twinge of pain through Harry's scar. Just a dream, he repeated to himself.
" Why not, you were almost killed by a baby," she said, her voice unwavering. A shadow fell across the dark lord's face.
" I'm afraid I tire of your games, mage. The pieces are all stored safely away, and once you are dead and I acquire the last piece, I will play!" A smile once again on Voldemort's face.
" You will never play while I'm alive!" she shouted now.
" That can be arranged," he smirked. Suddenly an orange bolt of lighting flew from his wand. She narrowly ducked out of the way, the curse shattering one of the wooden benches.
" Crucio!" She yelled, but he muttered the counter curse and it to came flying back at her. She ducked again.
" You really wouldn't be a bad deatheater, I am surprised at how easily you said an unforgivable curse, with such passion. Isn't that a Hogwarts no no." Harry's ears perked up. Did this girl go to Hogwarts?
" Let's end this," she said. Immediately another curse came at her, this time she reacted too late. She dodged, but the spell caught her hip. The white figure flew back six or seven feet, landing hard on the stone floor. A dark red spot penetrating the white cleanness of the robes, it was spreading quickly. Her screams echoed off the walls, Voldemort smiled.
" I offered you instant death, and you tried to combat it. But I like this better, a slow and painful death, alone, is what you deserve," he continued, " At least your sister accepted that I was going to kill her. You look like her now, except she was much more serene. Oh well." He flicked his wand and she flew back into the air again, landing about five feet further back, close to Harry. Her scream pierced the air again, a puddle of blood where she was just laying. This time she landed on her back, the hood still covering her face. Harry could see her chest move up and down with each shallow gasp of air. Voldemort chuckled and then walked out of the hall through the back, leaving the girl to die. She continued gasping for a few more moments before lying still.
The background faded around Harry, and he was surrounded in a room of darkness. Across from him stood the girl, clean again, standing about a meter away. She stepped closer, her hood still falling in front of her face. Standing close now, two glove covered hands emerged from her sleeves and reached out for Harry's face. She leaned in as though she was going to kiss him, but instead bent toward his ear, her cheek brushing against his. Cool skin against his warm flesh.
" Stay away." she whispered as she pulled away. The world seemed to fade around him and he once again felt the familiar sensation of waking up. Harry opened his eyes, stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment before reaching over for his glasses. Rubbing his eyes he sat up. Hermione and Ron were still both sleeping on there separate cots, when he noticed the change. All around the room was a white paper chain, of what looked like a raven. Each one signed, " The Mage." Suddenly very alert, he realized that some had been in the house, only moments ago. That what he just dreamt was no ordinary dream.
" What does this mean?" he said bewildered.
A/n: Thanks for the reviews everyone. Please keep it up; your feedback is greatly appreciated! And thanks for the name suggestions!