CHAPTER 20
"Oh hello!" Came Ginny's excited voice from the front door. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George raced downstairs. Ingrid and Andrew were stood nervously at the door, a very tall man with reddish hair behind them and the Gryffindor quidditch team beater next to him. William Shakklebolt.
"Hello," the tall man smiled at Ginny.
A group of Order Members appeared at the door. "Oh, hello Samuel." Kingsley grinned at the tall man, whom Harry realised was Ingrid and Andrew's father and his mother's cousin. "Got here alright did you?"
"Yes, yes fine. I'm so sorry your brother couldn't come."
"Well, why don't you come in." Smiled Mrs Weasley. "Ginny will you show them where they'll be sleeping?"
Mr Evans chose to stay in the kitchen while Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny took the others upstairs. "Here you go." Said Ginny when they reached an empty room."
"Thanks," smiled Ingrid. "So is this the order of the Phoenix?" Her large eyes travelled round the landing.
"Yep," said Fred. "So I bet quidditch isn't the same without us?" He grinned at William.
"Nope, you two were great beaters," he smiled at Fred and George.
"Oh, you've got that joke shop in Diagon alley!" Ingrid exclaimed. "Andrew and me went there in the summer holidays."
"Yeah, that's us." Grinned the twins. "Did you get the swamp?"
"Ah ha." Said Ingrid mysteriously.
"What, were you planning to set another off at school?" Asked Hermione frowning.
"Well, some of the fourth years have thought about it, well you're prefects aren't you?" She issued at Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
Ginny looked uncomfortable. "No I'm not actually." She said.
"She chose to follow our footsteps." Said George proudly.
"Yes, you got really far in life." Snapped Hermione.
Before they could retaliate however, Mrs Weasley called from the kitchen that lunch was ready. Fred and George went first. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny however stayed to talk. "So what's happening with the swamp then?" Hermione asked.
"Well, we were thinking of doing one after Christmas, but you never know, we might choose not to." Ingrid added, catching sight of Hermione's disapproving stare.
"Come on!" Called Mrs Weasley again so they made their way down the landing.
"Oh no!" Shouted Hermione as she got to the stairs. "Look what they've done now!"
The others hurried over. It seemed that Fred and George had transformed the stairs into a slide. A red, very steep and slippery plastic one. "Cool!" Said William. "Your brothers have really good ideas! I should try this at home!"
"They are unbelievable!" Snapped Hermione. "What on earth are you doing?" William, Ingrid and Andrew had just sat down. Before Hermione could say anything else they had zoomed down the very long and almost vertical slide. They hit the hard wooden floor and stared up at the others.
"What are you waiting for?" They called up.
"I'm not going down." Snapped Ginny. "Fred and George can come and put it right."
Harry and Ron went down themselves. Ron grabbing Ginny as he went. So Hermione, sighing deeply followed suit. "Did you see it?" Fred grinned as they entered the kitchen. "Only three galleons! Bargain!"
"It's great!" Smiled Ingrid. "I'm getting one!"
"I hope not!" Retorted Hermione, but she was smiling.
"So Harry, aren't you going to say hello to your well, is it half uncle or what?" Kingsley Shakklebolt grinned down the table at him.
"Um, hi." Harry said. The tall man with reddish hair was smiling at him fondly.
"Hello," he replied. "I didn't know you looked so like your father. Oh yes, you've got Lily's eyes. I inherited them from my aunt. Your Grandmother Harry."
"Oh, er right." Harry said, looking down at his sandwich."
"Could you pass me the butter please Harry?" Ginny hissed down the table. Harry, relieved passed it to her.
"I'm Samuel." Said the man. "Evans of course. Did your aunt ever talk about me?"
"Er, no she didn't." Muttered Harry.
"I didn't expect so." Grinned Samuel Evans. "She was so jealous of your mother you know. Petunia being older than her of course. Well, we were all so proud of her." He smiled wistfully. "You don't like you aunt I hear?"
"Who told you that?" Harry blurted out. He scanned the table for a guilty face. Ingrid stuck her own in front of his eyes.
"Me!" She said. "Like everyone didn't already know!"
"Oh yeah, sorry Harry. George and I started that off." Fred was grinning and George was hissing something in his ear. "Well, we're full." Fred said. "I think we'll go and..."
"You will not," hissed Mrs Weasley. "Wait until everyone's finished. Harry glanced down the table. Tonks was grinning at him from the other end. Her hair was a short blond today. Ginny was talking to her non-stop.
"Well, shall I help with the dishes?" Tonks said brightly in response to Fred and George's signals down the table.
"No, no I'll do them." Replied Mrs Weasley hurriedly getting to her feet. Harry watched Fred and George slip out of the kitchen and they could hear laughs from the stairs.
This left Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Ingrid to slip away too. William and Andrew were still in the kitchen with Tonks, who like Ginny, they greatly admired. Harry could hear shrieks of laughter from the kitchen. "They've fixed the stairs." Hermione said sounding relieved.
"That's what they want you to think." Warned Ron wisely. "Trust me, I know what Fred and George are planning."
"Oh nonsense." Said Hermione. "They don't even know how do saxiliquia charm." She climbed the stairs and had got halfway up when there was a loud pop and the stairs melted to form the same red, very steep and vertical slide they had slid down on their way down.
"Oh very funny!" Hermione roared up at Fred and George who were concealed behind a large plant and were howling with laughter as Hermione scrambled to her feet at the bottom of the slide. Ingrid, still laughing, Fred and George came out from behind the plant. Hermione shot Ingrid a look of dislike.
"That's-what-they've-done-to the-stairs at-Hogwarts!" Giggled Ingrid.
"So, who says we're not as good as old Dumbledore then?" Fred asked.
"Oh just put them right will you?" Snapped Hermione.
"I think it's a great idea!" Ingrid said, watching the stairs change back to steps.
"Well how are we going to get up?" Hermione demanded. "Fred, George, what's the counter spell!"
"Um... We... er... Haven't devised one yet." George said.
"That's convenient."
Harry was reminded distinctly of the vision he had had in his dream, with Wormtail and Voldermort.
Ingrid and William were already halfway up the stairs. They didn't hear a pop though. The pair of them were almost at the top when the red slide appeared again, even steeper then before. So steep, in fact, that Ingrid and William began to fall.
Ginny gasped. Harry, not even pausing to think, drew out his wand and bellowed, "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"
"Oh well done Harry!" A dozen people were saying to him five minutes later after they had managed to get Ingrid and William down from the ceiling.
"Honestly!" Mrs Weasley was shouting at Fred and George. "They could have been seriously injured! If Harry hadn't been here..."
"We were just exercising our right to use magic where and when we like." George said innocently. This appeared to be the wrong thing to say, but later that day, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Ingrid, Andrew and William were sat in the spare room at the end of the corridor.
"Well at least you'll know what to do if it happens to anyone at school!" Fred said brightly.
"It's not going to happen to anyone at school!" Hermione said outraged. "Is it Ron? We as prefects..." Ron had gone red.
Ingrid however let out a large false yawn and turned to Fred. "Yes, it was good practise, we'll have to make sure Harry's constantly on guard then!"
"I'm not the only one who can do that spell you know!" Laughed Harry.
The next day went as quickly as the previous one and before they knew it, it was the day Ingrid, Andrew, William and their father would be leaving. "It's been really great." Smiled Ingrid.
"It's been great having you!" Grinned Fred. "If you come with us, we'll give you something you might find useful next term, free of charge!" So Ingrid followed them out of the room.
"We should go with them you know." Hermione said, staring after them.
"Nah, I bet next term could do with a bit of livening up!" Ron said brightly.
"Thanks for having us." Smiled William sounding almost as cheerful as Ingrid.
"Yeah, thanks." Muttered Andrew.
"What are you thanking us for?" Ginny laughed. "It's been great fun having you! I wish you could stay longer."
"Do you really?" Grinned William. "Well that's the first time anyone's ever said that to me!"
Ingrid came back, smiling broadly. "Listen, I hope that's nothing that's going to be dangerous for the students." Hermione warned her. "Or I'm going to McGonnagal."
Ingrid ignored her. They went downstairs where Mr Evans was waiting for them. "Well, it's been wonderful having you." Mrs Weasley smiled.
"I hope we weren't too much trouble." Said Mr Evans smiling back. "Oh no. We've had great fun." Said Mrs Weasley firmly. So they bid goodbye to them, and retreated back into the house.
The next week past in a blur and finally, it was Christmas Eve. The house had been decorated accordingly and the large Christmas tree was glistening with tinsel downstairs. Harry sat watching it for a very long time that evening. He didn't even notice someone was watching him. "It's Sirius isn't it." Hermione said.
Harry nodded. It was true. He could remember the last Christmas he and Sirius had so vividly in his mind, the happy look on Sirius' face when he realised he would be having guests for Christmas.
"I know it seems silly," Hermione said. "But if I were you, I'd talk to Luna Lovegood about it. She can be really comforting you know. She might raise your hope for talking to him."
Harry could not explain why what Hermione had just said made him so happy. But the words 'raise your hope' made him happier than he had been all week. He followed Hermione upstairs and when he arrived at his room, Ron was already asleep. He climbed into bed, careful not to wake Ron and before he knew it he was asleep himself.
Everything was dark. Dark and silent. Where was he? "Take a step Potter. Take a step." Hissed a voice. The sound echoed. Harry turned but there was no one there. "Take a step." Breathed the eyrie voice again. Harry, seeing no other option did so. The world around him changed. There were bright colours, getting much much brighter. Bright yellows and greens flashed past and almost as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. But the colours had gone. There was the same darkness; he could see nothing or no one. There seemed an odd, presence though that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He felt as tough someone was watching him, but it was much too dark to see. The air was teemed with motion, but nothing was moving. "Harry Potter." He heard. But it wasn't a cold, hard voice. It was a human voice. It still echoed though.
"Hello?" Harry stammered, turning round to track down where the voice was coming from.
"Harry, it's me. Sirius." Came the voice. Harry could not believe this, but he knew if he woke up, he would never make contact with him again. "There is someone at Hogwarts you must avoid. Do not bond with them. Whatever you do Harry, do not bond with them!"
"Who?" Harry asked, voice shaking. The phrase. 'Do not bond with certain people at Hogwarts.' Had been in a letter he had received from Arthur Weasley who had heard it at work.
"Be careful Harry. Watch out, they are acting under orders from Voldermort. He has waited eleven years. He has a plan to over rule Dumbledore. Please Harry. You must not bond with them. Harry..."
"Sirius! Wait!" Harry shouted, but the same silence fell.
"Be yourself Harry." Came a second voice. "But please, listen to Sirius."
It was his father. It had to be. He called out but no sound came out when he shouted, the same icy silence fell and the dark world vanished.
"Harry!" Came Ron's excited voice. "Happy Christmas! What's up?" He caught sight of Harry.
Harry couldn't bring himself to tell Ron what he had just witnessed. Not now anyway. Not on Christmas day. It was probably just a dream anyway. He didn't want to worry them on Christmas. Fred and George apparated with a loud pop on the end of Harry's bed, causing the mattress to sag. There was a knock on the door and Ginny an Hermione entered. "Happy Christmas!" they all said cheerfully. Harry received a large bag of bertie botts every flavour beans for Ginny, a box of Weasley wildfire bangs from Fred and George, a model firebolt from Ron, chocolate frogs from Hermione and a box of stinkbombs that Ingrid left him before she went.
"Wow!" Came Ron's excited voice. "Thanks!" He held up a quill that read 'the answer to your queries.'
Harry smiled. They went downstairs and Harry as well as Fred, George, Ron, Hermione and Ginny got the usual hand knitted jumper from Mrs Weasley. They had a very enjoyable Christmas at Grimmauld place, but it wasn't the same without Sirius. However, hearing his voice after six months had helped boost his spirits, even though he knew he must tell Ron and Hermione, so that evening, after Christmas dinner, when they had pulled wizard crackers that shot shiny confetti with the words 'happy Christmas' on them, Harry told Ron and Hermione about his dream.
"You were dreaming." Ron said shortly, but Hermione looked thoughtful.
"Well it's easy to say you were dreaming, because we did talk about Sirius last night, but maybe he was trying to make contact with you. I do recommend talking to Luna. I'm certain she'll know, even if she won't tell you."
Their conversation was interrupted however by Ginny. She was looking very shaken and looked on the verge of tears. "What?" Ron asked.
"It's Ingrid." Ginny moaned. "She suddenly went unconscious and had to be rushed to hospital, but they can't wake her up! It's awful!"
"When? Why?" Harry asked her.
"Just now." Said Ginny. "She was having Christmas Lunch one minute then the next, well she suddenly fell off her chair. Mum's really worried. And the hospital want's us to go and see if we can wake her. They want you Harry. We're going tomorrow if she still hasn't revived."
They raced downstairs. Mrs Weasley was looking very nervous. "Oh I do hope she'll be alright!" She said every so often.
"Molly, I'm sure she's fine." Kingsley said reassuringly.
Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't sleep at all that night. When at last the morning dawned, they left for the hospital. They had done this the previous year when Mr Weasley was bitten by a snake. Harry had seen it happen, he had appeared to have done it and it was him who saw the injury. He couldn't have done this time could he? Was the dream he had previously had just been a coincidence? They arrived at St Mungos Hospital, and approached the receptionist. Like last year, there was quite a long que. One old wizard near the front was muttering something about a troll hexing a unicorn and the unicorn flying into the clouds, while the receptionist glanced at her watch and jabbed her finger irritably at the words 'forth floor' on the guide. Another man appeared to have sprouted a third eye and a young witch and wizard who looked about Ginny's age seemed to be glued together. Eventually, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Kingsley, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and to everyone's surprise Fred and George, reached the front.
"Quite a party." Muttered the receptionist.
"Well we're here to see Ingrid Evans." Began Mrs Weasley.
"Oh yes, she's on the fourth floor." Said the witch, "end ward." so they headed up the four flights of stairs to a ward at the end of the corridor. Mr Evans, Andrew and William were there with a healer who were all examining Ingrid carefully.
"Oh hello," said the healer. "Yes, we can't get her to wake up. She's been unconscious for..." she checked her watch. "15 hours now. It would help for you to talk to her I'm sure. I think she can hear, but it is hard to tell." The healer looked over at Ingrid and sighed. She did look very lifeless, her dark red hair spread out across the pillow and her eyes closed, as though she was in a very absorbing dream.
"Go on," said the healer to Ginny. "Why don't you try and talk to her?"
"Oh, er, alright." Said Ginny and kneeled down by Ingrid. Mr Evans, Andrew and William watching her hopefully. "I'm not sure if you can hear me Ingrid," Ginny began. "But if you wake up, you can do that thing with the swamp and the slide at Hogwarts. You know, like we planned." Ingrid's lip twitched as though she was going to smile, but her face fell still again almost at once.
"Oh almost!" Said William. "You try Harry, she likes you loads!"
So Harry tried. "Um, Ingrid," he began, watching her carefully. "You didn't happen to have a dream about a dark space, with voices of dead people that echoed around, and..."
Ingrid suddenly sat bolt upright in bed. Her eyes opened and they were fixed on Harry. Harry heard gasps from behind him. "Because," he continued as though she were still lying down with her eyes closed. "That's what I dreamt." Ingrid stared at him long and hard for a very long time. Harry was surprised she didn't feel the need to blink.
"Yes," she said, lying down again. "Yes Harry that's exactly what I dreamt. I was eating and then, I suddenly had that vision. My mother spoke to me. I wanted to hear her some more so I stayed asleep. I wanted to be asleep forever, but. Like Ginny said, what's the point? I'm looking forward to going back to school.
"I'm going to get Dumbledore!" Said Kingsley and hurried out.
"Is that really what you dreamt?" Ingrid asked.
"Yes." Said Harry. "But I heard my father, and Sirius."
"It made me really happy." Said Ingrid weakly. Her eyes travelled to the door where Dumbledore and Kingsley entered. Dumbledore looked worried.
"Harry, Ingrid," he said. "You're both very lucky to be alive."
"Why?" They all asked at the same time.
Dumbledore smiled and sat down. "Well," he said smiling at Ingrid who was nibbling at an apple a healer had put by her bedside. "15 years ago when Voldermort was at full power, many people died by dreaming this. You see they longed so much to be with the person they greatly cared about, they eventually chose to join them, leaving their life behind."
"So that could have happened to me?" Ingrid asked horror struck, abandoning her half-eaten apple. "But I didn't even fall asleep!"
"Yes, but Voldermort was controlling you." Dumbledore said. Unlike the Weasleys, Ingrid did not flinch at Voldermort's name probably, Harry realised, because her father was a muggle and wouldn't have spoken of him.
"I can see why with Harry, but why me?" Ingrid whispered so softly Dumbledore had to lean closer to her to hear, even though they were just feet apart.
"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said. "It's not just you. Everyone in the wizarding world who has lost a loved one will have dreamt that very same dream. I am afraid that it would naturally have a strong affect on young witches and wizards." He looked over at Harry. "I myself vaguely recalled it, although it did not affect me much. I must say, Voldermort is loosing his touch. Why on Earth would he want to make the wizarding world do that? It does puzzle me." Smiling once more, he left the ward.
"Can I go?" Ingrid asked the healer.
"Non right now, we'll have to keep you for another hour, just to be sure."
The others left the Hospital, feeling very relieved. "Oh I'm glad she's OK." Said Ginny. "I didn't know it happened to you Harry."
They arrived back at Grimmauld place for the last few hours of Boxing Day. Harry had no more strange dreams that night, nor the next. The nights left at Grimmauld place were rapidly decreasing. Very soon, it was the evening before their return to Hogwarts. Harry and Ron were packing in their room with Ginny (who had done hers in the morning) perched on the end of Ron's bed and was chatting to them as they packed.
"Oh hello!" Came Ginny's excited voice from the front door. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George raced downstairs. Ingrid and Andrew were stood nervously at the door, a very tall man with reddish hair behind them and the Gryffindor quidditch team beater next to him. William Shakklebolt.
"Hello," the tall man smiled at Ginny.
A group of Order Members appeared at the door. "Oh, hello Samuel." Kingsley grinned at the tall man, whom Harry realised was Ingrid and Andrew's father and his mother's cousin. "Got here alright did you?"
"Yes, yes fine. I'm so sorry your brother couldn't come."
"Well, why don't you come in." Smiled Mrs Weasley. "Ginny will you show them where they'll be sleeping?"
Mr Evans chose to stay in the kitchen while Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny took the others upstairs. "Here you go." Said Ginny when they reached an empty room."
"Thanks," smiled Ingrid. "So is this the order of the Phoenix?" Her large eyes travelled round the landing.
"Yep," said Fred. "So I bet quidditch isn't the same without us?" He grinned at William.
"Nope, you two were great beaters," he smiled at Fred and George.
"Oh, you've got that joke shop in Diagon alley!" Ingrid exclaimed. "Andrew and me went there in the summer holidays."
"Yeah, that's us." Grinned the twins. "Did you get the swamp?"
"Ah ha." Said Ingrid mysteriously.
"What, were you planning to set another off at school?" Asked Hermione frowning.
"Well, some of the fourth years have thought about it, well you're prefects aren't you?" She issued at Ron, Hermione and Ginny.
Ginny looked uncomfortable. "No I'm not actually." She said.
"She chose to follow our footsteps." Said George proudly.
"Yes, you got really far in life." Snapped Hermione.
Before they could retaliate however, Mrs Weasley called from the kitchen that lunch was ready. Fred and George went first. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny however stayed to talk. "So what's happening with the swamp then?" Hermione asked.
"Well, we were thinking of doing one after Christmas, but you never know, we might choose not to." Ingrid added, catching sight of Hermione's disapproving stare.
"Come on!" Called Mrs Weasley again so they made their way down the landing.
"Oh no!" Shouted Hermione as she got to the stairs. "Look what they've done now!"
The others hurried over. It seemed that Fred and George had transformed the stairs into a slide. A red, very steep and slippery plastic one. "Cool!" Said William. "Your brothers have really good ideas! I should try this at home!"
"They are unbelievable!" Snapped Hermione. "What on earth are you doing?" William, Ingrid and Andrew had just sat down. Before Hermione could say anything else they had zoomed down the very long and almost vertical slide. They hit the hard wooden floor and stared up at the others.
"What are you waiting for?" They called up.
"I'm not going down." Snapped Ginny. "Fred and George can come and put it right."
Harry and Ron went down themselves. Ron grabbing Ginny as he went. So Hermione, sighing deeply followed suit. "Did you see it?" Fred grinned as they entered the kitchen. "Only three galleons! Bargain!"
"It's great!" Smiled Ingrid. "I'm getting one!"
"I hope not!" Retorted Hermione, but she was smiling.
"So Harry, aren't you going to say hello to your well, is it half uncle or what?" Kingsley Shakklebolt grinned down the table at him.
"Um, hi." Harry said. The tall man with reddish hair was smiling at him fondly.
"Hello," he replied. "I didn't know you looked so like your father. Oh yes, you've got Lily's eyes. I inherited them from my aunt. Your Grandmother Harry."
"Oh, er right." Harry said, looking down at his sandwich."
"Could you pass me the butter please Harry?" Ginny hissed down the table. Harry, relieved passed it to her.
"I'm Samuel." Said the man. "Evans of course. Did your aunt ever talk about me?"
"Er, no she didn't." Muttered Harry.
"I didn't expect so." Grinned Samuel Evans. "She was so jealous of your mother you know. Petunia being older than her of course. Well, we were all so proud of her." He smiled wistfully. "You don't like you aunt I hear?"
"Who told you that?" Harry blurted out. He scanned the table for a guilty face. Ingrid stuck her own in front of his eyes.
"Me!" She said. "Like everyone didn't already know!"
"Oh yeah, sorry Harry. George and I started that off." Fred was grinning and George was hissing something in his ear. "Well, we're full." Fred said. "I think we'll go and..."
"You will not," hissed Mrs Weasley. "Wait until everyone's finished. Harry glanced down the table. Tonks was grinning at him from the other end. Her hair was a short blond today. Ginny was talking to her non-stop.
"Well, shall I help with the dishes?" Tonks said brightly in response to Fred and George's signals down the table.
"No, no I'll do them." Replied Mrs Weasley hurriedly getting to her feet. Harry watched Fred and George slip out of the kitchen and they could hear laughs from the stairs.
This left Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Ingrid to slip away too. William and Andrew were still in the kitchen with Tonks, who like Ginny, they greatly admired. Harry could hear shrieks of laughter from the kitchen. "They've fixed the stairs." Hermione said sounding relieved.
"That's what they want you to think." Warned Ron wisely. "Trust me, I know what Fred and George are planning."
"Oh nonsense." Said Hermione. "They don't even know how do saxiliquia charm." She climbed the stairs and had got halfway up when there was a loud pop and the stairs melted to form the same red, very steep and vertical slide they had slid down on their way down.
"Oh very funny!" Hermione roared up at Fred and George who were concealed behind a large plant and were howling with laughter as Hermione scrambled to her feet at the bottom of the slide. Ingrid, still laughing, Fred and George came out from behind the plant. Hermione shot Ingrid a look of dislike.
"That's-what-they've-done-to the-stairs at-Hogwarts!" Giggled Ingrid.
"So, who says we're not as good as old Dumbledore then?" Fred asked.
"Oh just put them right will you?" Snapped Hermione.
"I think it's a great idea!" Ingrid said, watching the stairs change back to steps.
"Well how are we going to get up?" Hermione demanded. "Fred, George, what's the counter spell!"
"Um... We... er... Haven't devised one yet." George said.
"That's convenient."
Harry was reminded distinctly of the vision he had had in his dream, with Wormtail and Voldermort.
Ingrid and William were already halfway up the stairs. They didn't hear a pop though. The pair of them were almost at the top when the red slide appeared again, even steeper then before. So steep, in fact, that Ingrid and William began to fall.
Ginny gasped. Harry, not even pausing to think, drew out his wand and bellowed, "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"
"Oh well done Harry!" A dozen people were saying to him five minutes later after they had managed to get Ingrid and William down from the ceiling.
"Honestly!" Mrs Weasley was shouting at Fred and George. "They could have been seriously injured! If Harry hadn't been here..."
"We were just exercising our right to use magic where and when we like." George said innocently. This appeared to be the wrong thing to say, but later that day, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Ingrid, Andrew and William were sat in the spare room at the end of the corridor.
"Well at least you'll know what to do if it happens to anyone at school!" Fred said brightly.
"It's not going to happen to anyone at school!" Hermione said outraged. "Is it Ron? We as prefects..." Ron had gone red.
Ingrid however let out a large false yawn and turned to Fred. "Yes, it was good practise, we'll have to make sure Harry's constantly on guard then!"
"I'm not the only one who can do that spell you know!" Laughed Harry.
The next day went as quickly as the previous one and before they knew it, it was the day Ingrid, Andrew, William and their father would be leaving. "It's been really great." Smiled Ingrid.
"It's been great having you!" Grinned Fred. "If you come with us, we'll give you something you might find useful next term, free of charge!" So Ingrid followed them out of the room.
"We should go with them you know." Hermione said, staring after them.
"Nah, I bet next term could do with a bit of livening up!" Ron said brightly.
"Thanks for having us." Smiled William sounding almost as cheerful as Ingrid.
"Yeah, thanks." Muttered Andrew.
"What are you thanking us for?" Ginny laughed. "It's been great fun having you! I wish you could stay longer."
"Do you really?" Grinned William. "Well that's the first time anyone's ever said that to me!"
Ingrid came back, smiling broadly. "Listen, I hope that's nothing that's going to be dangerous for the students." Hermione warned her. "Or I'm going to McGonnagal."
Ingrid ignored her. They went downstairs where Mr Evans was waiting for them. "Well, it's been wonderful having you." Mrs Weasley smiled.
"I hope we weren't too much trouble." Said Mr Evans smiling back. "Oh no. We've had great fun." Said Mrs Weasley firmly. So they bid goodbye to them, and retreated back into the house.
The next week past in a blur and finally, it was Christmas Eve. The house had been decorated accordingly and the large Christmas tree was glistening with tinsel downstairs. Harry sat watching it for a very long time that evening. He didn't even notice someone was watching him. "It's Sirius isn't it." Hermione said.
Harry nodded. It was true. He could remember the last Christmas he and Sirius had so vividly in his mind, the happy look on Sirius' face when he realised he would be having guests for Christmas.
"I know it seems silly," Hermione said. "But if I were you, I'd talk to Luna Lovegood about it. She can be really comforting you know. She might raise your hope for talking to him."
Harry could not explain why what Hermione had just said made him so happy. But the words 'raise your hope' made him happier than he had been all week. He followed Hermione upstairs and when he arrived at his room, Ron was already asleep. He climbed into bed, careful not to wake Ron and before he knew it he was asleep himself.
Everything was dark. Dark and silent. Where was he? "Take a step Potter. Take a step." Hissed a voice. The sound echoed. Harry turned but there was no one there. "Take a step." Breathed the eyrie voice again. Harry, seeing no other option did so. The world around him changed. There were bright colours, getting much much brighter. Bright yellows and greens flashed past and almost as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. But the colours had gone. There was the same darkness; he could see nothing or no one. There seemed an odd, presence though that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He felt as tough someone was watching him, but it was much too dark to see. The air was teemed with motion, but nothing was moving. "Harry Potter." He heard. But it wasn't a cold, hard voice. It was a human voice. It still echoed though.
"Hello?" Harry stammered, turning round to track down where the voice was coming from.
"Harry, it's me. Sirius." Came the voice. Harry could not believe this, but he knew if he woke up, he would never make contact with him again. "There is someone at Hogwarts you must avoid. Do not bond with them. Whatever you do Harry, do not bond with them!"
"Who?" Harry asked, voice shaking. The phrase. 'Do not bond with certain people at Hogwarts.' Had been in a letter he had received from Arthur Weasley who had heard it at work.
"Be careful Harry. Watch out, they are acting under orders from Voldermort. He has waited eleven years. He has a plan to over rule Dumbledore. Please Harry. You must not bond with them. Harry..."
"Sirius! Wait!" Harry shouted, but the same silence fell.
"Be yourself Harry." Came a second voice. "But please, listen to Sirius."
It was his father. It had to be. He called out but no sound came out when he shouted, the same icy silence fell and the dark world vanished.
"Harry!" Came Ron's excited voice. "Happy Christmas! What's up?" He caught sight of Harry.
Harry couldn't bring himself to tell Ron what he had just witnessed. Not now anyway. Not on Christmas day. It was probably just a dream anyway. He didn't want to worry them on Christmas. Fred and George apparated with a loud pop on the end of Harry's bed, causing the mattress to sag. There was a knock on the door and Ginny an Hermione entered. "Happy Christmas!" they all said cheerfully. Harry received a large bag of bertie botts every flavour beans for Ginny, a box of Weasley wildfire bangs from Fred and George, a model firebolt from Ron, chocolate frogs from Hermione and a box of stinkbombs that Ingrid left him before she went.
"Wow!" Came Ron's excited voice. "Thanks!" He held up a quill that read 'the answer to your queries.'
Harry smiled. They went downstairs and Harry as well as Fred, George, Ron, Hermione and Ginny got the usual hand knitted jumper from Mrs Weasley. They had a very enjoyable Christmas at Grimmauld place, but it wasn't the same without Sirius. However, hearing his voice after six months had helped boost his spirits, even though he knew he must tell Ron and Hermione, so that evening, after Christmas dinner, when they had pulled wizard crackers that shot shiny confetti with the words 'happy Christmas' on them, Harry told Ron and Hermione about his dream.
"You were dreaming." Ron said shortly, but Hermione looked thoughtful.
"Well it's easy to say you were dreaming, because we did talk about Sirius last night, but maybe he was trying to make contact with you. I do recommend talking to Luna. I'm certain she'll know, even if she won't tell you."
Their conversation was interrupted however by Ginny. She was looking very shaken and looked on the verge of tears. "What?" Ron asked.
"It's Ingrid." Ginny moaned. "She suddenly went unconscious and had to be rushed to hospital, but they can't wake her up! It's awful!"
"When? Why?" Harry asked her.
"Just now." Said Ginny. "She was having Christmas Lunch one minute then the next, well she suddenly fell off her chair. Mum's really worried. And the hospital want's us to go and see if we can wake her. They want you Harry. We're going tomorrow if she still hasn't revived."
They raced downstairs. Mrs Weasley was looking very nervous. "Oh I do hope she'll be alright!" She said every so often.
"Molly, I'm sure she's fine." Kingsley said reassuringly.
Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't sleep at all that night. When at last the morning dawned, they left for the hospital. They had done this the previous year when Mr Weasley was bitten by a snake. Harry had seen it happen, he had appeared to have done it and it was him who saw the injury. He couldn't have done this time could he? Was the dream he had previously had just been a coincidence? They arrived at St Mungos Hospital, and approached the receptionist. Like last year, there was quite a long que. One old wizard near the front was muttering something about a troll hexing a unicorn and the unicorn flying into the clouds, while the receptionist glanced at her watch and jabbed her finger irritably at the words 'forth floor' on the guide. Another man appeared to have sprouted a third eye and a young witch and wizard who looked about Ginny's age seemed to be glued together. Eventually, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Kingsley, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and to everyone's surprise Fred and George, reached the front.
"Quite a party." Muttered the receptionist.
"Well we're here to see Ingrid Evans." Began Mrs Weasley.
"Oh yes, she's on the fourth floor." Said the witch, "end ward." so they headed up the four flights of stairs to a ward at the end of the corridor. Mr Evans, Andrew and William were there with a healer who were all examining Ingrid carefully.
"Oh hello," said the healer. "Yes, we can't get her to wake up. She's been unconscious for..." she checked her watch. "15 hours now. It would help for you to talk to her I'm sure. I think she can hear, but it is hard to tell." The healer looked over at Ingrid and sighed. She did look very lifeless, her dark red hair spread out across the pillow and her eyes closed, as though she was in a very absorbing dream.
"Go on," said the healer to Ginny. "Why don't you try and talk to her?"
"Oh, er, alright." Said Ginny and kneeled down by Ingrid. Mr Evans, Andrew and William watching her hopefully. "I'm not sure if you can hear me Ingrid," Ginny began. "But if you wake up, you can do that thing with the swamp and the slide at Hogwarts. You know, like we planned." Ingrid's lip twitched as though she was going to smile, but her face fell still again almost at once.
"Oh almost!" Said William. "You try Harry, she likes you loads!"
So Harry tried. "Um, Ingrid," he began, watching her carefully. "You didn't happen to have a dream about a dark space, with voices of dead people that echoed around, and..."
Ingrid suddenly sat bolt upright in bed. Her eyes opened and they were fixed on Harry. Harry heard gasps from behind him. "Because," he continued as though she were still lying down with her eyes closed. "That's what I dreamt." Ingrid stared at him long and hard for a very long time. Harry was surprised she didn't feel the need to blink.
"Yes," she said, lying down again. "Yes Harry that's exactly what I dreamt. I was eating and then, I suddenly had that vision. My mother spoke to me. I wanted to hear her some more so I stayed asleep. I wanted to be asleep forever, but. Like Ginny said, what's the point? I'm looking forward to going back to school.
"I'm going to get Dumbledore!" Said Kingsley and hurried out.
"Is that really what you dreamt?" Ingrid asked.
"Yes." Said Harry. "But I heard my father, and Sirius."
"It made me really happy." Said Ingrid weakly. Her eyes travelled to the door where Dumbledore and Kingsley entered. Dumbledore looked worried.
"Harry, Ingrid," he said. "You're both very lucky to be alive."
"Why?" They all asked at the same time.
Dumbledore smiled and sat down. "Well," he said smiling at Ingrid who was nibbling at an apple a healer had put by her bedside. "15 years ago when Voldermort was at full power, many people died by dreaming this. You see they longed so much to be with the person they greatly cared about, they eventually chose to join them, leaving their life behind."
"So that could have happened to me?" Ingrid asked horror struck, abandoning her half-eaten apple. "But I didn't even fall asleep!"
"Yes, but Voldermort was controlling you." Dumbledore said. Unlike the Weasleys, Ingrid did not flinch at Voldermort's name probably, Harry realised, because her father was a muggle and wouldn't have spoken of him.
"I can see why with Harry, but why me?" Ingrid whispered so softly Dumbledore had to lean closer to her to hear, even though they were just feet apart.
"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said. "It's not just you. Everyone in the wizarding world who has lost a loved one will have dreamt that very same dream. I am afraid that it would naturally have a strong affect on young witches and wizards." He looked over at Harry. "I myself vaguely recalled it, although it did not affect me much. I must say, Voldermort is loosing his touch. Why on Earth would he want to make the wizarding world do that? It does puzzle me." Smiling once more, he left the ward.
"Can I go?" Ingrid asked the healer.
"Non right now, we'll have to keep you for another hour, just to be sure."
The others left the Hospital, feeling very relieved. "Oh I'm glad she's OK." Said Ginny. "I didn't know it happened to you Harry."
They arrived back at Grimmauld place for the last few hours of Boxing Day. Harry had no more strange dreams that night, nor the next. The nights left at Grimmauld place were rapidly decreasing. Very soon, it was the evening before their return to Hogwarts. Harry and Ron were packing in their room with Ginny (who had done hers in the morning) perched on the end of Ron's bed and was chatting to them as they packed.