If Wishes Were Snitches
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Chapter 3 Dreamwalking
Weak sunlight battled the early morning mist as Harry lay on his back with his arms folded behind his head and listened to the sounds of the Burrow waking up. Ron was still sleeping, he was on his stomach, his blankets twisted around his legs and his arm dangling down, knuckles near the ground. His head was under his pillow but gentle snores could be heard. Somewhere downstairs someone was whistling and there was the sound of water running in the bathroom.
Ron's owl Pig hooted and hopped around the room while Hedwig silently watched, occasionally unfolding a wing and preening her immaculate feathers. Hedwig's disdain for the tiny bird was palpable.
Pig fluttered over to Rons sleeping form and landed on his back. His muffled voice came from under his pillow. "Get off, you idiot bird." His arm waved in the air feebly then dropped back down as the snores resumed. Pig hooted and flew over to Harry's chest. There the owl pecked at the buttons on Harry's nightshirt until waved away.
Harry shrugged at Hedwig and she slowly blinked then turned her wide eye to resume staring at Pig. Harry then rolled over and closed his eyes as sleep reclaimed him.
Hedwig was perched on a chair back in a stone hallway. "That bird is an idiot you know." She hooted. " The red-haired boy is lucky he gets any of his posts." Harry shrugged at Hedwig again and got up out of the chair he was sitting in to head down the hall. He drifted down the hall without moving his feet. His body was effortlessly gliding across the stone floor. He was wearing his school robes and could feel them gently brushing against his legs as he moved forward.
The doors he passed were closed, the hall silent except for a distant and faintly mechanical rhythmic beat. He passed through an opening into an unfamiliar room. Here the drumming was louder, but still the only sound. He came to a stop in front of a frozen tableau, Sirius Black falling back into the veil-covered archway, his face frozen in a look of surprise. Other than the statue-like Sirius the room was empty.
It was a scene that had played itself out in Harry's mind many times since the battle at the Ministry. But this felt sterile, lacking the chaos, noise, and movement of the moment. Harry circled around the figure of Sirius in his gliding way, taking in the view from all sides then coming to a smooth stop in his original position. The room was no longer empty. Luna was standing next to him also looking at the figure. She spoke.
"He looks done in. Is that him? Your godfather?" She continued to look at Sirius. "It's sad."
Harry nodded and turned to look at Luna. She was wearing full out Quidditch gear. Her hair neatly braided down her back. In one hand she held a broom vertically, while with the other hand she tossed a snitch up and down. They were standing in a sunny open field surrounded by tall trees and mountain tops. The field was empty except for a statue of a centaur, head thrown back in agony, with an arrow in his thigh.
"Luna, why are you wearing Quidditch robes?" Asked Harry.
"Am I?" She asked and looked down at her robes and shrugged. Luna nodded to the statue. "That's Chiron, a wise healer and teacher. Did you cover the legend of Chiron in Binn's class?"
Harry thought. "It's possible, wasn't he accidently hit with a poisoned arrow by a friend who had been ambushed?"
"That's right." Luna sighed and turned her face up to the sun. "So much to learn from this. I think it might help you. Help all of us. So unfair . . . "
"Wait, didn't he also beg for death because the pain was agonizing and endless? Luna? Your point is what?"
"Is that what you think the story is about? Honestly, don't you Gryffindors get any guidance in metaphoric imagery? It is a story about what it means to suffer and transform. How things may not be fair but letting go of bitterness and blame will open you up to the light through compassion. So fancy a game of Quidditch, mate?"
"What . . . "
Ron pushed his foot against Harry's shoulder and nudged him. "Wakey, wakey. I said, fancy a game of Quidditch?"
Harry sat up and vigorously rubbed his face. He reached over for his glasses and put them on. The sun was now shining brightly through the window. Ron was pulling on a shirt and standing near his bed.
"Morning Ron. Yeah, Quidditch sounds great. What a strange dream I had. Luna was in it . . . "
"Wait. I had the same dream! That Veela thing. Wow. I knew that image would be burned into my eyelids. She was wearing this filmy thing . . . "
"Doesn't sound like the same dream. In mine she had on Quidditch gear, and there was a centaur . . . I don't remember the rest. Come on. Lets get breakfast."
"Jeez, gear and a centaur. Harry. I didn't know you were so pervy." Ron laughed and dodged the pillow Harry threw. He ran down the hall calling for Fred and George. "Hey guys, have any strange dreams last night?"
Harry slowly got up to dress and join Ron. He stopped for a moment and tried again to remember his dream, but only small wisps came to him. Luna . . .