A/n: Me again . . . no! No! Do NOT run away, just yet. I'm going try and sound professional for just a few minutes so please bear with me. This chapter was one of the very first ones written for the Book of Ages, and will prove to be very important. Clues abound here; the only problem is finding them. Good luck and enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I do not own the lyrics down there either; sadly, they're from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, track 17: The Breaking of the Fellowship, music composed, orchestrated, and conducted by Howard Shore.

~~~~~

But in Dreams,

I still hear your name,

And in dreams

We will meet again.

—In Dreams, The Breaking of the Fellowship, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

~~~~

That night, Harry fell into a deep slumber, losing all sense of the world around him. All sense of reality gone, he entered his own world of fantasies, and dreams.

Chapter 10: In Dreams

"Wake up, Harry, it's time to wake up," a soft, soothing voice called to Harry, breaking through the strong, protective walls of his endless slumber.

Harry turn over on his side, but for some reason doing it caused a massive pain to shoot through his head. "Ugh," he moaned, bring a hand to his throbbing head. But something was wrong, his voice was . . . squeaky?

A gentle hand began rubbing the spot on Harry's head that seemed to ache the most.

"See what you get for taking on people that are five-years older then you?" the voice said, jokingly. "But it was brave of you."

Harry could only moan, his head felt like it had been slammed into a tree.

"Do you think you can sit up for me?" coaxed the voice.

Obediently, Harry pulled himself into a sitting position, but as he did so a sharp pain rippled through his stomach. "Ow!"

"Easy there, Short Stuff," the voice said, handing him his glasses.

Harry put them on, and couldn't believe what he saw; Sirius. But not the Sirius he knew, this Sirius looked as though he had never been to Azkaban at all. "Sirius?"

"Who'd you expect? Father Christmas?" Sirius grinned playfully.

Harry grinned in returned, and shrugged. But the shrugging caused the pain to slice through his stomach again.

Sirius's grinned faded into a look of seriousness. "Here, try this," he handed Harry a goblet filled with a pale pink liquid.

Harry drank the liquid without protest, and almost immediately he felt it begin to spread through his body soothing whatever had caused the horrible pain in his stomach and head.

"Better?" asked Sirius hopefully.

Harry nodded happily.

"Good, maybe next time you'll listen to me, and ignore Wilkins," Sirius scolded, crossing his arms over his chest. "I still can't believe the little rat preformed an Upchucking Hex on you."

Although, Harry had no idea who Wilkins was, he found himself saying, "He insulted Mum and Dad, I_ had_ to defend their honor, right?"

Sirius gave him a 'you're beginning to sound like me' look before saying, "Well, yes."

"And didn't_ you_ say I should stand up for myself?"

"I suppose."

"Then didn't I do the right thing, Siri?"

Sirius sighed in a defeated way, "Yes, but next time _please_ do not take on any ten

-year-olds, remember you are only five. And to let you know in advance Lily isn't going

to like hearing that you were fighting again, but I'll try to prevent her from finding out."

Harry smiled again and asked, "Why did you pick me up from school, and not Mum

and Dad?"

"They were both on missions, and I number three on the 'if the kid gets sick call this

person" list."

"Oh, then can we eat ice cream?"

Sirius laughed, and handed Harry a bowl. "Way ahead of you, kiddo."

Harry giggled as he started to eat his ice cream, "Mmm, chocolate chip cookie dough,

my favorite."

"You know the rule though, not a word of this to your parents now, or I get my

godfathering duties taken away for awhile," Sirius said, ruffling his godson's hair before

starting on his own bowl of ice cream.

They sat in silence far a few minutes while they ate their ice cream. While they ate,

Harry had the opportunity to look around his room; a large bookcase crammed with

books was in one corner, the walls were covered with Quidditch posters of various

players, and the floor was covered with a mess of junk. His eyes wandered over to his

night table where lay a copy of Quidditch Through the Ages, and a copy of The Hobbit.

"Whatca thinking about?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Nothing."

"Liar," Sirius said, taking the now empty bowl from his godson, "come on, tell."

Harry shook his head.

"Pleeeaaassseee!"

"Nope."

"I'll tickle you if you don't tell."

"You wouldn't!"

"Oh, I would."

Harry started to edge away, if this Sirius was like his Sirius then he wasn't joking

around.

"Come on please? Tell me," Sirius said advancing.

Harry moved until his back was against the wall, but kept his mouth shut.

"Fine, you leave me no choice," Sirius said regretfully, scooping Harry up.

"Sirius . . . please . . . no," Harry whimpered.

"Then tell."

"I was thinking up a scheme to get back at Wilkins," Harry said quickly. Lame,

Potter. Really lame.

"That was lame, Harry. C'mon, the truth."

Harry twisted in Sirius's grip. "I thinking of a way to thank you for taking care of me

today," he mumbled.

Sirius smiled, "I'll take that as an answer."

"Then you'll let me down?" said Harry hopefully.

"Nope, 'cause I don't think that's the only thing you were thinking about."

Harry frowned at this. "It was, I swear! Most people wouldn't come take care of a kid

who got hit with an Upchucking Hex, most wouldn't come near them."

Sirius smiled, and pulled Harry into his embrace, "I'd take care of you even if you were

hit with a dozen Upchucking Hexes."

Harry buried his head into Sirius's chest, a feeling of absolute safety washed over him.

Sirius kissed the top of his godson's head softly. "The hex didn't hit you that badly, you

know," he whispered

"It still felt bad."

Sirius ran a hand through Harry's hair, letting Harry go. "You're all right now though,

right?"

"Kinda sleepy," mumbled Harry, leaning back on the pillows. The moment his head hit

them his eyes became very heavy.

"Just sleep," Sirius mumbled in his ear. "I'll be here when you wake, never fear."







A few hours later, Harry felt someone shaking him. "Come on, Harry," called a

unfamiliar voice.

Harry turned away from the voice, saying that his stomach still hurt.

"Why does your stomach hurt?" the voice asked, concern filtering through it.

"_Sirius_?"

"Yeah, Prongs?"

James picked his son up, "Harry says his stomach hurts. Why?"

Sirius shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, "Why do you think I know?"

"Because you picked him up from school today," James said, peering sternly at Sirius

over the top of his glasses.

Sirius hung his head, "You have to promise me not to be mad at Harry because it really

wasn't his fault. You see there's this kid Wilkins; he comes from a Death Eater family,

and he's a real . . . well you know, and he insulted you and Lily and Harry stood up to

him and he . . ."

"He what?"

"He hit Harry with an Upchucking Hex," Sirius mumbled as he watched James's face

darken. "So the school called you guys, but since you were both on missions they called

me so I picked him up, brought him home, and took care of him."

"Dinner's ready . . . James, what's wrong with Harry?" Lily Potter asked coming into

her son's room.

"After-effects of an Upchucking Hex," James said as he handed his son to

Lily.

"Sirius?" she said sternly, turning to her son's godfather

Sirius sighed, and related the entire story to her.

Her eyes darkened as she listened, before turning to Harry, and brushed away some

stray tendrils of hair before placing him back in bed. While she covered him, she asked,

"What kind of potion did you give him, Sirius?"

"A Standard Stomach Soother with some mashed Mylanta chewy tablet things for

flavor."

Lily snorted, "Um Padfoot, did you know that little old ladies use the Standard for

their upset stomachs?"

"Well no . . ." said Sirius sheepishly.

"And you need an Extreme Stomach Soother for an Upchucking Hex?"

"Well, it was really hurting him when I brought him back here," protested Sirius, a

protective edge to his voice.

"And you couldn't make it?" James guessed.

"Erm . . . I forgot," confessed Sirius.

Lily smiled warmly at him though, "But you did take care of him and for that I deeply

thank you."

"Good job Padfoot," James smirked.

A moan came from the bed causing the three adults to turn their attention to the boy.

Harry's face was twisted in pain as he kicked off the covers. "Sirius!" he cried, holding

his stomach.

In one swift motion, Sirius had the boy in his arms and out of the room. A second later

the bathroom door slammed shut. Several minutes later, the door opened again. Harry's

arms were loosely around Sirius's neck, and his head was resting on Sirius's shoulder.

His face was pale and his eyes were dull.

"Harry?" whispered a soft voice that he had heard once upon a dream. He raised his

head to it, his breath caught in his chest.

Tall, thin, and agile looking, dressed in jeans and a forest green t-shirt with her long

red hair pulled in a ponytail making her brilliant green eyes show more profusely, Lily

Potter smiled at her son. "Feeling better baby?" she asked, her voice was light and

playful, not hard and stubborn like it was in the frantic screams he knew so well.

"Better," he choked out, still half in shock.

"That's good," she said as she took him from his godfather. "Do you think you can eat

a little dinner?"

Harry nodded slowly as his father—tall, lanky, with midnight blue eye hidden behind

thick black glasses, messy jet black hair, and an easy-going manner—smiled

encouragingly.

"Dad?" Harry whispered, reaching out a small hand.

"Yes?" James said walking over to his son, taking Harry's hand in his own large one.

Harry only grinned, relishing in feeling of being able to feel his father's warm hand . . .

he was real.

This was real. It had to be, the Dursleys and everything else was just a horrible

nightmare.

James grinned back, "Do you think you're up for a short Quidditch game after

dinner?"

Harry nodded, not caring what his stomach felt like, he was going to play Quidditch

with his _father_.

Lily favored them with a look. "Only if _you_ feel all right," she told Harry.

"And if he isn't I could always fill in!" Sirius piped up, not wanting to be forgotten

about.

"Okay," agreed James, and the two Marauders started rambling about their game.

"Please don't grow up to be like your father, Harry," Lily whispered. "I can only

handle _one_ James Potter."

"I'll try not to be _exactly_ like Dad," he promised when . . .

The lights went out; darkness surrounded them as a door creaked open.

Immediately, Harry felt his mother's grip on him tighten. His father drew them against

him protectively. Sirius placed a hand on James's shoulder.

"Daddy?" Harry found himself whispering.

"Shh, Harry," James murmured.

"Well isn't _this_ a charming little abode?" an icy, not-quite human voice hissed.

A chill ran up Harry's spine as he felt a hitch rise in both his parents' chests.

"He told!" Harry heard Sirius snarl under his breath.

James shushed his friend before saying, "Nice to see you again, _Tom_."

"You too, my dear James," the voice said.

James looked at his wife, hissing, "Run when I say so; take Harry and get out of here.

I'll be right behind you."

"No," Lily said stubbornly. "I'm a better mat—"

James shook his head firmly and Lily nodded.

Harry looked up at James, digging his fingernails into his father's shirt. "Dad . . ."

"I'll be okay, you just get out of here with Mum," James kissed the top of his son's

head before turning to Sirius and nodding.

"If we knew you were coming," James said, "we would have tidied the place up a bit."

His eyes darting about, his ears perked for any and all sounds.

"I think it's quite fine for what will be occurring here."

"And what would that be?"

"Your execution."

"Go!" James shouted as a ball of blinding white light exploded from his wand.

Lily took off like a shot.

Dodging, twisting, and turning, yanking open doors as the shouts of various curses

echoed behind them.

Harry buried his face in his mother's chest as she ran. He heard Voldemort shout the

killing curse and a door slam, before the floor gave giant lurch like an earthquake was

occurring beneath them.

Lily fell as another tremor caught her off-balance. She fell sideways so neither her nor

her son would be hurt when they hit the tile floor.

Harry watched as plates and cups went crashing to the floor as though mesmerized by

them. Then he watched in horror as another tremor caused the table to give way,

shattering in two, one half landing on his mother's leg.

Lily gritted her teeth in pain, but did not cry out.

Harry crawled over to her, but she pushed him away.

"Run Harry! Run away!" she cried, kicking furiously at the table until it slid off her

now blood soaked leg. Winching in pain, she leapt to feet, scooped Harry up, and

hobbled as fast as she could to the kitchen door—their only escape.

Just as he hand was about to touch the knob it flew open— standing before then

was Lord Voldemort.

Lily jumped back, shielding her son from the black robed man—if he was even a man

any longer—as she reached for her wand.

"Long time, no see Lily," Voldemort said in an almost conversational tone. "It seems

your precious baby boy has grown a bit."

Lily scowled as her fingertips closed around the familiar wooden stick. "Leave my son

_alone_."

"I could have left _you_ alone if you hadn't medaled in my affairs," hissed Voldemort.

"No," Lily snarled. "You shouldn't have medaled in _mine_."

A gigantic ball of flaming orange light shot at Voldemort.

A shriek of pain pierced Harry's ears as his mother ran out of the house as fast as her

legs could carry her. Tremors shook the ground, sending her skidding to one side then

another, but never knocking her off balance.

"Just a little farther," she mumbled to Harry as he clung to her neck. "We'll be at

Molly's, Daddy's probably there already."

Just feet from where the Anti-Apparation field ended, Lily's mangled leg gave way and

she went flying.

Landing with a heavy thud, Harry rolled about two feet away from Lily, right in front

of Voldemort.

"Well, look who we have here," Voldemort said, imitating James's voice.

Harry scuttled away, he was defenseless now and he knew it.

Lily pulled Harry behind her, shielding him with her body.

"Lily, Lily, when will you learn some common sense?" said Voldemort, reaching out to

touch her.

She slapped the hand away, looking defiantly up at the fiend, but was muttering

something under her breath.

"What are you saying, you silly girl?" the tyrant demanded.

Lily ignored him, still muttering.

"Answer me!"

"Nothing," she said still glaring at Voldemort, her eyes flashing dangerously, being

careful to shield her son the whole time.

The Dark Lord laughed coldly, "Still protecting your precious baby boy, Lily? Why

should you? If it wasn't for him you wouldn't be in this predicament right now."

A low growl rose in the back of Lily's throat as Voldemort pulled something out of his

robes: a golden ring. James's wedding ring.

"And neither would have your husband."

Lily's fists clinched as she continued to glare at Voldemort.

"And for what?" continued Voldemort, twirling the ring between his fingers. "That

worthless pound of flesh. The boy would be better off dead."

Voldemort drew his wand and pointed at her, "Now Lily, let's not let James's death

be in vein, stand aside and let me dispose of that little brat."

"Over my death body, you sick son of a bitch!"

"As you wish Lily," Voldemort said, "Aravada Kavada!"

Harry watched in horror as his mother was engulfed in the fatal green light before

being flung across the yard.

"Now for you," Voldemort's cruel voice echoed in Harry's head as he turned his wand

on him.

The last thing Harry remembered was what felt like somebody holding a white-hot

wire over his forehead and a piercing, animalistic scream ringing in his ears.





Harry's eyes fluttered open as a funny smell invaded his nostrils, it smelled like

smoke. He sat up immediately, his stomach gave a horrible lurch and he wretched right

there on the grass.

Getting slowly to his feet, Harry felt something drip down his face. He touched it, his

hand came away crimson. Trembling, his hand went to his forehead, blood was gushing out of a deep lightning bolt shaped cut. As someone once said, "It was déjà vu, all over again."

"Mum! Dad! Sirius!" he yelled as he scrambled through the smoldering rubble. He had forgotten about the blood that was now flowing freely from his forehead as he searched frantically for his family. He tripped over a fallen beam of wood, falling to the ground. He sat up slowly, his face covered in dirt, blood, and tears.

"Harry?! Harry?! I'm here!" a voice called causing Harry to jerk his head up.

Harry's eyes shot open, a tired, careworn face loomed in front of him. Immediately, Harry launched himself at the face, flinging his arm's around the person's neck mumbling, "Sirius!"

"S'okay, I've got you," Sirius whispered as he rubbed Harry's back soothingly. "What happened?"

Before Harry knew what he was saying, he was spilling out the contents of the dream to his godfather. He felt Sirius hug him tighter repeating, "I know, I know. Shh, it's okay now." Harry relaxed his arms.

"Better?" Sirius asked stroking Harry's cheek, it sounded as though this had happened before.

Harry nodded, but stopped in mid-nod when he caught sight of his reflection in the bedroom mirror. He was very small, skinny, and frighteningly pale, he looked like himself at seven-years-old.

Sirius gave him a small smile," Do you think you think you can go beck to sleep now?"

"Yeah."

"That's my Marauder," Sirius said softly as Harry curled back under the covers and closed his eyes. "Good night Harry."

"G'night Sirius," Harry yawned as he watched Sirius leave, but keeping the door partially open.

Harry had been lying with his eyes closed for only for few minutes when he heard two voices: Sirius's and Remus's.

"Did I wake you Moony?"

"No, I'm usually awake at 3:46 in the morning."

"Oh good, then I didn't wake you."

"Since you're obviously not picking up on the subtlety, what's the matter?"

"What else would be?"

At this Harry rose from his bed, and padded down the hall, following the sound of the two voices.

"Another nightmare?" Remus guessed.

"It's been two years Remes! I'm starting to get worried now."

"What did the doctor say?"

"That quack said that Harry would be having nightmares like this for the rest of his life."

"Isn't that what he said about you also Padfoot? Harry was five when it happened, you were twenty-six. Now, you're twenty-eight and Harry's seven, your ages do not change the fact that you both saw it happen and it is normal for both of you to still be having nightmares."

"But I hate to see him in pain."

"This isn't a scarped knee or a twisted ankle Sirius, this is a scraped memory, and there is no magic spell that can fix that. The only thing you can is give Harry the love and comfort he needs when he wakes up from those dreams, which you have been doing and Harry has begun to get over them hasn't he?"

There was a long pause before Sirius said," You're right Moony, absolutely right. Thank you."

"No problem Sirius, but before I go may I mention something?"

"Sure."

"Harry is standing right behind you, and has probably heard this whole conversation."

Sirius whirled around as Harry tired to duck out of sight. "Harry?" Sirius said in a low voice as he looked at the mop of black hair that was betraying its owner's hiding place. "Come here runt."

Harry shuffled over to his godfather, hanging his head.

Sirius knelt down so he was on eye level with the boy, and ruffle his hair as a sign that everything was all right.

"Want to say hello to Moony?" Sirius asked.

"Okay," Harry said in a small voice, and turned to see Remus's head floating in the fireplace. "Hi Moony!"

Remus smiled gently, "Hi Harry, whatever are you doing up so late?"

Harry shrugged, yawning.

Sirius grinned, "Want to stay with me tonight Emeralds?"

Harry nodded, not quite sure what Sirius meant by that, but decided to go along with it. "I'll be seeing you two in the morning I suppose," Remus said fighting back a yawn.

"Yeah, good night Moony," Sirius said.

"'Night Remus!" Harry added.

"Good night Harry! Good night Padfoot!" said Remus before his head disappear from the fireplace with a pop!

Sirius waved at the now normal fire before putting a strong, protective arm around his godson's shoulders.

Harry blinked sleepily up at him.

"Come on Harry, back to bed."

Harry nodded drowsily, allowing Sirius to guide him back to his room.

But they did not enter Harry's room; instead they went into the room across from Harry's.

Instinctively, Harry scrambled up on the huge bed, burying his face in the pillow. He felt the bed sag under Sirius's added weight before an arm went around him.

The boy's face was now buried in his godfather's chest.

He heard Sirius whisper, "Sweet dreams Harry," before giving in to sleep itself.