Disclaimer:

The Harry Potter universe was created by J K Rowling and therefore all credit should be given to her.

Also it might be wise to say that:

Harry Potter, names, characters and related indicia are

Copyright and trademark Warner Bros., 2000™

Please read my A/N at the end of the chapter

Hope you'll enjoy the chapter…


— CHAPTER THREE —

Visions?

As Harry slowly opened his eyes when hearing something picking on his window he was slowly drawn back to reality. It had been one week, Harry hadn't had much to do, time has passed in a blur and he couldn't really remember one day from the other. The picking got more severe at this moment, so he sat op in bed and looked at the window to see his owl trying to break through and get to him.

"Hello Hedwig, why are you so desperate to get inside today?" He asked her this as he opened the window and let his companion inside. The only response he really got was some Hedwig sitting on his arm nibbling quite hard on his fingers.

After some time it was beginning to be too much for Harry, "Hedwig I think we need to find a solution to this little problem of ours, I'll just have some breakfast and then we can try to find away so we will both be pleased" with those words he went down stairs to get his late breakfast.

After his breakfast (which was mainly buttered toast) he walked upstairs to see Hedwig again while pondering about different ideas about how to solve this 'new' problem at hand.

Without having the slightest clue about how he could solve the problem about Hedwig or his sleeping habits, Harry walked into his bedroom and dropped down on his bed.

Harry sat for a while just thinking about what to do with Hedwig, he couldn't really figure out how he could arrange it so that she didn't have to wait outside every morning and most of the evening until he woke up, she needed to get outside at night he couldn't deny her that, his so called family wasn't an option as they would rather shoot her than let her into their house, and he didn't like the thought of letting his window stand wide open all night and most of the day, not because he would freeze, but when he slept just about 18 hours a day no one could really guarantee if anyone decided to take a climb up to his room. If Harry had to be honest, he really didn't see any other solution than letting Hedwig stay with one of his friends, but he wasn't keen on giving up the only company he had all summer.

Before Harry could continue his stream of thoughts he lay down and failed to notice that sleep claimed him.

*          *          *          *          *          *

As Harry Potter was the-boy-who-lived and all that, he was of course denied a normal life, but what very few people knew was that it also denied him true peace even in his sleep Harry Didn't find the comfort that his life lacked so much of.

Harry found himself in the department of mysteries once again, he knew this place better than anyone if he ought to say it, every detail in the hall where the veil was placed, he couldn't hear the begging voices from beyond it but he could clearly remember the agony in the voices from that one time he was there.

He was of course dreaming of the night when his beloved godfather was ripped away from him by a force no one has ever been able to explain.

His dream started just when Neville Longbottom was put under the cruciatus curse by Bellatrix Lestrange, it didn't take long, in the dream though it probably took hours in the land of those who where awake, for the dream to escalate and Harry, unable to wake up, saw, for what felt like the millionth time, Sirius Black fall through the veil the look of mingled fear and surprise on his god­fathers face, it was hell for Harry, the only thing, he understood now, that he feared beyond anything else was to loose the one man who seemed to be the only one truly loving him, and that was what had happened to him on that cursed night.

All the previous nights Harry had dreamed this particular dream it had always ended at this point, with Bellatrix Lestrange Laughing in that maniacal way only she and Voldemort could do it, but this night was different.

Harry felt himself swivel around again and again, he couldn't make out what was happening, he felt like being sucked down in a maelstrom of blackness, deeper and deeper. He never really registered what happened, he didn't know if it finally was the tucking feeling of despair that finally claimed him and sent him on a journey into oblivion or if it was merely something happening in the world of those whom where awake, all he was certain of was that after what felt like an eternity it finally stopped.

Harry lay on the ground, he didn't feel as if he where a sleep anymore, normally he wouldn't feel like this in his sleep. He felt dizzy, he wouldn't trust the world to not spin around, if he opened his eyes, and least of all his stomach.

It took Harry what felt like an hour before he dared opening his eyes, he didn't really know what to expect, but he didn't expect to see himself laying on the pavement on the outskirts of a city.

It was dark, he didn't know what hour but he was certain it was sometime well past midnight. Looking up at the city before him gave him an eerie feeling, it was so dark, normally you would at least be able to see the lights on the streets, which would turn after darkness, but this was just dark.

Not knowing what to does he got up and walked towards the city, he didn't feel like he was in a dream, even in a dream he didn't feel the burden of all of his secrets, secrets he couldn't even tell to Ron or Hermione.

As he reached the first couple of houses he got the feeling that something was not shown in the city, it looked as if everything was gone, and it seemed as if the city had been build but no one ever immigrated to the city. He felt alone, it was another of those abnormal situations where the craziest feelings came into his mind, here he was in a city where no one lived, or so he thought, and he only wished there was someone, anyone so that he could explain his life, the sole reason he was there. To murder, or be murdered.

'It just isn't real', he kept thinking for himself again and again, it was annoying and infuriating at the same moment, it was as if all the mental wards he had built to contain those very few secrets that only he and Dumbledore could know of where no longer there, as if the only thing holding him from spilling his heart on the very first person to meet was that there where no persons to meet.

As he made his way to what was probably the city hall, he felt a cold chilling and yet subdued, as if there was hundred of dementors walking around him sucking the warmth from him but leaving his sanity and feelings alone. He was looking, the only thing other than telling someone about his secrets was to find out was this damned place where surely there had to be a name in the city hall, or at least a person who could tell him.

With a startled yelp, Harry sat up in his bed. He didn't know what had happened, and he still wore his glasses, Hedwig was sitting on the windowsill knocking quite furious on the window "just a second Hedwig, I just need to write a letter" it made Hedwig stop what seemed to be her goal in life, she hadn't delivered many letters this summer, and no matter what she was a post owl, therefore it was in her nature to deliver mail.

"I don't think there is any other way around this Hedwig" talking aloud more to convince himself other than his owl Harry kept talking in quiet whispers while he wrote the small note to Hermione explaining the situation with Hedwig.

"Now Hedwig I want you to stay with Hermione for the rest of the summer. No don't worry it is after all only for a couple of weeks, then we'll see each other again" the last comment said as Hedwig seemed to shake her head in disagreement, Harry of course wasn't keen on letting her go, but he didn't like to feel like a prisoner in his own house, and he didn't want Hedwig to feel like that too.

*          *          *          *          *          *

He was dreaming again, he knew it, even though it didn't make it the any more comfortable. One week had passed since he had sent Hedwig to Hermione.

Harry wasn't as exhausted anymore, but he still fell asleep without really realising it before it was too late.

He was there again, the unknown city, he had been searching it all week without finding anything, he didn't really expect to find anything anymore.

He was right the first time when he thought it didn't seem like a dream, everything was to clear, his mind was working as if he was taking his O.W.L.'s but it wasn't because there was something to work on, there was no assignment, he had been given no clues. This was just his own curiosity which demanded him to find out about this forsaken place which has been haunting his dreams giving him wonderment instead of peace in his sleep.

But it wasn't only the mysterious city that The-Boy-Who-Lived had been thinking about all week, ever since he had begun to remember his dreams he had had a nagging feeling that he was being left out by Dumbledore and the others, he didn't actually know why he felt that, his sense of reality kept telling him that they couldn't tell him, but it didn't help.

For some reason he couldn't explain, he felt betrayed. Maybe it was guilt after everything what happened to Sirius, but it didn't ease the feeling no matter how much he thought about it, on the contrary actually, the more he thought about it the more this annoying nagging feeling grew in his chest, he spend most of his dreams thinking these kinds of dreams, they never gave him any peace anyway, so why shouldn't he spent the time as he saw fit.

It was by this time he once again found him by the city hall in this unknown town of ghosts.

As always he didn't need to give any attention to his dream to get here, after all his legs would take him every time, it was one of the things that annoyed him more than anything, he didn't seem to be in control of what he would like to do. He would just be taken somewhere and then in the back of his mind knowing what to start doing.

As he searched through the archives in the city hall he got the feeling that that he didn't really want to know what this place was, he felt it more than heard it actually. A whisper of reasoning, but yet it was as if there where someone behind him unconsciously guiding him from here to there shouting orders at him.

It wasn't nice anymore even the peace this place seemed to have had was long lost now, it was as if the once hidden dementors was slowly fading into existence all around him and yet unseen to him.

At this time Harry had almost searched every bookshelves in the archive, he was getting restless, he still didn't know why, but for some strange reason his mind kept screaming out warnings for him to find out the name of the town, and he listened, he kept looking over every book and every scroll. He had even searched the town borders for the usual 'Welcome to…' signs, but it seemed as those who had left the town long ago had cleaned it for any sign it may have had which could give away its name.

A long time had passed at this point in his dream, Harry was sure that if it hadn't been eternal night in this town several days would have passed, or at least it felt like that. He were standing among the last rows of shelves filled with texts, some of them didn't even have any words on them, he couldn't figure out why there were texts without anything written in them, but at this point he really didn't care, all he wanted was to find the damn name of this town which haunted his dreams like this.

While he stood there his came to think about Dumbledore and his friends again, he didn't want to share his knowledge about the prophecy with anyone, he were happy knowing it was only him and Dumbledore who knew the entire prophecy, but in this town he felt like talking about it, it didn't have to be a human he could tell it about, he didn't really mind if it was a ghost or a dementor he could explain everything, he just needed to get the weight of those secrets off his shoulders.

It was while Harry thought about this that he found the old dusty tome which would provide him with an answer that would both terrify him, and yet make him even more curious.

He absentmindedly flipped through the book skimming the text, as in so many occasions when he had read the texts in the city he didn't really pay attention, he looked briefly at each page, while thoughts ran through his mind, thoughts about Dumbledore, and every time he thought about his name, it seemed as his trust in the ancient headmaster of Hogwarts wavered increasingly as his name popped up in his head, every time he became more aware of what he had made him go through.

Harry had reached just about the end now, and he had what one could only describe as intense dislike for Dumbledore at this point, if not loathing for ever seeing him again.

He was suddenly pulled out of his train of thoughts of how much he hated Dumbledore when he came to a page that looked very appealing to read. He read it over intently as he searched for the name he so much had to find, and of course he did, it was what he had anticipated, he could practically feel the page screaming to him that it held the answer to his unasked question. 'Riddle City', he had only a moment to look at it as someone snapped the book from him, something inside him awakened, a warning, just the name Riddle wasn't something he liked to see, he turned around and saw a very much different looking Voldemort, he had actually lost his snake-like face and replaced it with one that looked like a human, if it was not for those piercing red eyes of his, Harry would probably never have realised that this was his nemesis.

For a moment, which felt like hours, there was nothing but silence, Harry looked into those piercing eyes which seemed as if they were looking into his very soul. Emotions, even some he didn't know existed, ran through his head. Hate and anger just two of what seemed like millions, but what was strange was that he felt a kind of satisfaction and curiosity.

Voldemort was the first to break the silence with what Harry would never have thought he should hear from him. "So Potter, is there anything you would like to tell me?". Why? What kind of a comment was that, he had just met him in a dream and all he did was ask a question? It didn't make sense, and yet he had that feeling that he'd like to share anything with whoever was there, it was actually a relieving feeling now he had finally someone who would listen.

"Did the old fool not tell you what the prophecy was about?" Harry knew that Voldemort wanted to know after all it was about him and Harry, two people destined to kill the other. "Of course he did". Who was he to deny this knowledge to Voldemort, they may be enemies but he still deserved to know.

"Tell me what it said" he really didn't need to ask the question, Harry would have told him anyway, after all it was killing him to be the only one who knew.

But, as he was about to spill his heart to the person who would rather kill him than look at him he felt a pull.

The last thing he remembered before the pain started was Voldemorts face, it changed, the look of it, the normal pensive look that he had had while he asked the question was replaced by his usual snake-look, however it showed so many more feelings, he was strained in some way and then anger, he was furious and probably screaming in rage, but Harry couldn't hear, the pain he felt was all that mattered, it was tearing him apart he didn't know if he was screaming or not, but he certainly wanted it to end, he had only felt pain this intense once before in the Ministry of Magic when Voldemort possessed him and asked Dumbledore to kill him, It wasn't the same pain, but it was just as intense.

Harry felt as if he was being ripped apart front and back split in two, every nerve in his body was stirring, and he couldn't concentrate on anything other than the pain, it was sent through him in constant waves, again and again, as if he was a rope being pulled by two people until it broke, whatever it was that was pulling him back was winning, he didn't know why but suddenly he felt as if he was falling, he didn't fall for long, the pain had lessened, the other power had given up the fight.

He fell but it didn't take long, he felt himself landing on his back. He was panting as if he had just run two laps around Hogwarts non-stop. And just to round up the feelings he didn't believe his mind when it told him to get up, he was sore everywhere even in what felt as his very core.

After some time he finally pulled himself together and got to his feet, he stood for a moment, feeling like the earth was circling around him, and steadied himself. He finally felt normal except for the nuisance.

Looking around for the first time since the pain had subsided he took in the surroundings. It looked like a surrealistic dream, he stood in a forest clearing, almost all of the trees were different, as if trees from around the world had been planted in a little spot in the edge of this clearing, he wasn't sure what it meant but they seemed to emit a glow, they were alive if nothing else, egging him on, making him choose a path. Above him the sky was cleared of clouds, but the heaven that should have been a bright shade of blue was a strange mix of red and purple, as if it normally was purple and now, as the sun was setting it got its red shade, at any other moment it would probably have looked very much beautiful, but given what Harry had just been through he would much rather see something normal for a change.

*          *          *          *          *          *

He had been in this world for about a week now, if he remembered correctly, at first he had been cautious, but as he didn't encounter anything except vegetation, though there was one area which seemed to house some creatures of the forests though there were only creatures. he had let his guard down and concentrated on exploring this dream-like world.

At first the world seemed awfully random, some places the trees would be exotic, other places they would look like those he found in the parks at little Whinging. After walking the first day he found a pattern in the world, it seemed as if the place he had landed at first was the very centre of the world, it was from that very clearing that one type trees would begin and then from the clearing spread out in what seemed to be unlimited space. Besides that he had noticed that the trees of one type was never to be found among other type of trees, it was as if there was an unmarked border between each type which limited their 'territory'.

Today was the seventh day, and he had embraced the loneliness that came with this world, he enjoyed exploring it, and he didn't feel hunger nor thirst so he could spent all  the time exploring this peaceful new world.

He found the greatest joy in watching the peaceful society of the animals, they lived in perfect harmony as if there was a mutual understanding between them, some of the deer's even let him get up close to pet them, it puzzled him, but he didn't mind it he actually felt a bit guilty that he didn't miss his friends more than he did, yes he missed them, but he didn't regret being in this world

*          *          *          *          *          *

 It was on the fourteenth day when he felt strange, it was a dreading feeling, he knew something was about to happen. He spent the day by a waterfall along with the animals around him, although they didn't understand him they still calmed him with their peaceful lives, he enjoyed their company and they seemed to enjoy his, it was especially the stags that he found comforting, they reminded him of his patronus and his father.

After sitting and doing nothing for some hours he could feel what was about to happen, it was the feeling of being pulled at and he hated it, he didn't want to leave although he knew he couldn't stay anymore, he had been staying on borrowed time in this paradise. He sent what he called 'his spot' a last regretful look before the spinning feeling took him out of the land he had come to love.

*          *          *          *          *          *

He sat up shaking, he wasn't in pain, but the adrenaline was pumping through his body. It was dark outside and the moonlight was casting a comforting illumination in through his window, it was actually quite effective, he found his glasses and took them, looking around the room he noted that nothing had changed since he had been here the last time, briefly wondering if the people were looking for him, he went downstairs, careful not to make any noise, he didn't wish to be berated by his uncle at the moment, but he was too hungry to go back to sleep.

When he entered the kitchen his curiosity got the better of him when he saw the newspaper on the table, he had to know what happened after he had met Voldemort in his dream, he seemed quite upset by loosing Harry from the dream world.

To say Harry had the shock of a lifetime when he looked at the paper was an understatement, he had been positive in the fact that he had been away for at least a week, but this news paper was from the day after his birthday. He knew the dursleys were home, you just couldn't miss that snoring coming from his uncle, some times he was impressed that Petunia ever got any sleep.

But according to this paper he had only been in the oh so wonderful world for a few hours, he didn't like it, he hated when something like that happened to him, he briefly wondered if he should sent a letter, explaining the incident, to Sirius before he again was reminded of his loss.

After taking some food from the kitchens he made his way back to his room. As he sat there on the small bed he looked around the room taking it in again, he didn't really know why but he had never really seen how bad it was, he had cleared some of Dudleys broken toys, but that only showed how small his room actually was.

He agreed with himself that he hated it here, but what his mind was most fixated upon at the moment was the article from the daily prophet, it lay there on his desk the words silently reflecting in the dim light of the moon, it was mocking him, reminding him of the fact that no matter what he would never be normal, his life was controlled and he could do nothing to prevent it, if the prophecy could just be nullified, yes that was what he wanted, the fame was bearable but to know that your life is being controlled is not.

He had made the decision, looking at the article again, the world didn't see him as Harry, they only saw him as news, a way for them to survive, they used him and he hated it, he would much rather see how they would be doing without him, the only thing he regretted was that he had to leave the Weasleys and Hermoine, even Dumbledore was at fault here.

He packed the most necessary things along with some items of affectionate value, his fathers cloak, his birthday presents and his photo album. He decided to wear the bracelet Cho had given him, both because it reminded him of his friends, her and because it was easier, this way it wouldn't take space along with the other items he would be bringing.

he didn't have room for everything he wanted, and one of the things he didn't have room for was his precious Firebolt, it stung in his heart when he realised he was going to leave behind one of the only things that Sirius had given him.

He took one of his school robes and used it as a bag for his items, after that he put on some clothes and the invisibility cloak, sneaking out the kitchen door so no one would notice anything, the Dursleys would probably believe they had forgotten to lock it at the night and besides that he was positive they would cheer when they found out he was gone.

Ever so slowly he opened the creaking door and sneaked out into the darkness of the night in a vast attempt to flee his destiny.

*          *          *          A/N     *          *          *

There you are, my third chapter, hope you enjoyed it.

Don't forget to revie. Reviews are after all the best motivation for authors to go on.

I finished the chapter sooner than expected because I had some spare time in the weekend, the next chapter will be a short one, I hope to get it up around Thursday…

Thank you to:

Romm

Shdurrani

MaidenMasherV           no it's not a crossover, I don't understand what you mean with similar to RPG

egastin77

for reviewing, have a nice day…