Chapter 3: The Valley of the Shadow
Harry rolled over and clutched the bedclothes more tightly around him. He couldn't seem to stop shivering. Hadn't he been sweating just a little while ago? He couldn't really remember.
Harry's limbs ached painfully, as if he had overworked every muscle in his body. He felt very tired, and was always drifting in and out of sleep. With every awakening he felt less and less able to stay focused on anything. His aunt's face would drift into his field of vision, looking genuinely concerned. Each time Harry saw her, she looked a little blurrier. It was as if a gray mist was obscuring his vision, and no amount of blinking could clear it.
Thoughts were becoming difficult to hold onto as evening approached. All Harry wanted to do was sleep. Waking was confusing; he had no idea what was going on. His senses felt dulled into uselessness.
Dark dreams invaded Harry's sleep. He was walking down a Hogwarts corridor with Ron and Hermione. Voldemort's high laughter rang all around them, but his friends didn't seem to hear it; they smiled and walked on. Harry looked behind them and saw Peter Pettigrew following; a long rat's tail was attached to his human form. He tried to warn Ron and Hermione, but his hands passed through them as if he had no substance. No sound escaped his lips when he tried to shout. Harry felt a chill and turned, looking into the gray face of Cedric Diggory's ghost. "You can't help them when you're dead… you're dead… you're dead…"
Cedric's voice echoed in the air. It began to change, growing louder and louder. Was someone shouting? Harry tried to turn over, but found he was too weary. With an effort, he opened his eyes. Someone was sitting on his bed next to him. Harry couldn't distinguish faces anymore, but he knew that he was thirsty. "Milk," he managed hoarsely.
Whoever it was must have spoken, but all Harry heard was a muffled sound as if his ears had been stuffed with cotton. He felt himself being moved to a sitting position. A hand rested at the back of his head, and he was swallowing sweet, cold milk.
Harry was lying down again. Vague impressions and strange visions filled his head. He no longer knew the difference between sleeping and waking. He felt like he was being pulled in two directions – he was sinking, as into the depths of a lake, only to periodically be pulled up towards the surface. Sometimes he felt as if he were floating or rushing forward through a cold wind. He saw many faces before him: his godfather, a stranger he didn't recognize, Dumbledore, Voldemort, and more. They often spoke to him, but he never understood what they said. He felt liquids pouring down his throat though he had no idea how they got there. He saw a room that came in and out of view, owls flying, fires burning. Voices shouted words like thunder. A bright blue light seared his vision and faded away into darkness, pulling him down…
**********
"Harry." His name was being spoken, quietly. "Harry."
Harry opened his eyes and blinked in the sudden light. Albus Dumbledore was looking down at him, his eyes twinkling behind half-moon spectacles.
Harry blinked again. He didn't think he was dreaming this time. "Professor?" he asked. His voice sounded strange in his own ears.
The headmaster beamed down at him. "Good morning. I am pleased to find that you recognize me."
Harry frowned at this extraordinary pronouncement, but was distracted by the unfamiliar surroundings in which he found himself. He was lying in a big, soft bed with crisp sheets and a light comforter. Dumbledore sat in an armchair right next to the bed. The room was large and full of green things, from the walls to the upholstery. Curtains were pulled away from many windows to let in the morning light. Outside the branches of great trees were waving. A bird chirped into the silence.
"Where…" Harry began, but Dumbledore held up a hand.
"A moment if you please, Harry. I was instructed to give you this the moment you awoke." He held a small cup in one hand. "Let's get you sitting up. Elevus." The pillows behind Harry's head began to tilt up at an angle, slowly pushing him along with it, until he was sitting in bed. "Now then," Dumbledore said with a smile, "drink up, or certain persons will have my head."
Harry took the cup and looked inside. The liquid was clear, like water. Harry drank obediently. It was tasteless, but the cool, refreshing sensation that washed over him was too strong to come from water. He felt more awake, his mind clearer.
"No doubt you have many questions, Harry," Dumbledore said as he took the cup, "but there are others who will be glad to see you awake as well – one in particular. If you will excuse me, I will fetch him, and then you shall have some explanations."
Harry nodded, curious. The headmaster left the room, his long silver hair and blue robes sweeping out behind him. A few seconds passed, and then, from somewhere nearby came a great shout and the sound of running feet.
Sirius Black burst through the doorway. Dark shadows hung under his eyes, and his too-pale face bore a look of panic. Joy exploded inside Harry like a firework. "Sirius!" he shouted. His godfather's face crumpled as he rushed to the bedside.
"Thank God, Harry!" Sirius threw both arms around his godson. Harry could feel him shaking, and it took him a moment to realize that Sirius was crying.
Harry was stunned, but instinctively grasped his godfather's hand and squeezed it. "It's all right, Sirius, I'm fine."
Sirius gripped Harry's hand so hard that it hurt. "I thought we'd lost you!" he exclaimed, his voice thick with emotion. He held on tightly, and Harry was content to let him do so. For a long minute, neither person moved. Sirius' weeping was the only sound. Harry had never heard Sirius cry before, and it made him feel strangely afraid. His insides seemed to be turning to ice.
Finally Sirius seemed to have released all his tension. He let Harry go and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Thank God you're all right," he repeated hoarsely. "You passed the critical point a long time ago, but until you woke up…"
Harry felt anxious to reassure his godfather as much as possible. "Everything's fine, Sirius. I'm feeling really good now."
Sirius looked hard at Harry's face. "Your eyes are green," he said, sounding relieved.
"What?" Harry said. "Of course they're green –"
"Did Dumbledore give you the restorative?" Sirius interrupted.
"Yes," Harry replied. "He said someone threatened him about it. I guess he was talking about you."
Sirius chuckled softly. "Yeah, that was me, all right, but I wasn't the only one. Snape was actually lecturing him about it an hour ago."
"Snape?" Harry goggled at Sirius. "Snape's here?"
"Yes," Sirius replied, "along with a few other people. But maybe we should just add that to your list of questions, hmm? I'll go get Dumbledore."