Another Vision

Harry awoke with a start. His dream had seemed so real; and he thought, for the second time that year, it might be. He decided that he had better go tell Dumbledore. He got up and went downstairs. The fire was burning low to ashes. It was very dark. He took a glance out of the window; the wind was howling through an overcast sky and nothing could be seen. He went out through the portrait hole and made his way carefully over to the gargoyle beyond which was Dumbledore's office. "Pumpkin Pasties," he said after many attempts of trying to remember Dumbledore's current sweet. The gargoyle moved and exposed the staircase beyond. Harry stepped on, and it carried him up to the headmaster's office. He knocked. A few moments passed before the door was opened.

"Yes, Harry?" inquired a weary looking Dumbledore. Harry stepped in.

"I had a dream, sir," he felt awkward telling Dumbledore this.

"You did? What happened?" Dumbledore asked. Harry thought back. The dream had been so clear, but he could feel it ebbing away. "There was a room, no... a hall. Somebody was walking through it when a man blocked his way. He was a Death Eater, I think."

Harry again tried to consult his fading memory. He could not remember the name of the man walking through the hall. "The Death Eater said, 'you've been lying to us,' and the other said, 'you speak nonsense' or something like that. And then, and then the Death Eater stabbed the man. I woke up then, but I don't think that the stabbed man died."

Dumbledore was watching him closely. Harry felt a cold chill run through the air.

"Can you remember this man's name?" Dumbledore asked in a low voice.

"No, "said Harry, "I just can't think of it..."

"Was it Severus Snape?" Dumbledore said in a stern voice.

And then Harry realized the horrifying truth; it had been. He looked up at Dumbledore with shock on his face. At that moment Dumbledore immediately started talking to the pictures on the wall; he started summoning teachers and colleagues, but Harry didn't hear him. He was lost in the awful reality that his sister's father had probably just died, like his, by Voldemort. The only thing Harry could cling to was the thought that he had not seen Snape die. How would he tell her, he thought, that her father had just been stabbed?

"Harry, Harry," came a firm voice from Dumbledore. Harry looked up, though still not quite out of his thoughts. "Go get your sister and bring her here, now," Dumbledore finished. Harry nodded and left. About halfway down to her common room, a new problem occurred. He had to get in to the Slytherin's House. He didn't have much time to think about this problem as he was already coming racing through the Dungeon corridors. Out of breath he found the door. He rapped hard hoping someone would hear. But they must all have been asleep, for no one came. He tried again several times before a heavyset woman arrived in the picture frame on the opposite wall. "I was sent to say that the password is wolfsbane." He looked in front of him and said the password. The doorway opened, and he could see inside. He debated with himself about going in. What if a Slytherin should wake up and think he was intruding. But after all he had been sent, so he stepped inside.

It was very dark and damp. There was no light at all. "Lumos," he whispered. His wand lit up, and he proceeded towards the staircase he thought would lead up to the girls' dormitory.

As he was about to proceed upwards, he remembered what happened when Ron tried to go into a girls' dormitory. Now he did not know what to do. And then, at that moment, Sarah came down the stairway sleepy-eyed and half asleep. She seemed a little surprised when she saw Harry. "Friega came and told me to come downstairs," she said. He supposed Friega was the woman who had told him the password.

"Uh, yeah," he said uncertainly.

"How did you get in? She asked.

"I was given the password." He just couldn't bring himself to tell her his dream, so he simply suggested that they go to Dumbledore's office.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because it's important," he said

"Why? What's happened?" She looked more awake now.

"I... I don't know. I was only sent here to get you," he lied. She stared at him for a moment.

"I know you know," she said. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"It's... It's your father," he said quietly, not looking at her. She watched him carefully. She turned and headed out the door and to the Gargoyle. She was walking at a fast pace that had Harry running to keep up. She was worried, he could tell. She probably figured something bad had happened to him. They reached the statue.

Harry called the password, and again he was being swept up a tall tower.

The office door opened. There were several other people there, now. They all looked around at her. Some gaped, some looked pitying, and others acted like they didn't even notice. Harry didn't recognize anyone except Lupin who was standing next to a man in pajamas. She entered slowly, trying to calm herself (or trying to prepare herself for the worst). She looked around for a second, and then in a voice she hoped was steady, she asked, "What's going on?" Nobody answered her for a moment; they just stared.

"Well?" she yelled losing her patience fast. Dumbledore stood up; he took a deep breath before answering.

"Your father was discovered of being a spy. He was stabbed, and is being held as a captive by Lord Voldemort." The room seemed uncomfortable with the name, and with how Sarah would react. She stared at Dumbledore with her mouth open.

"How did yo u let this happen!" she yelled. "Is he all right?" she said in barely more than a whisper as her throat became suddenly dry.

"We don't know," was all Dumbledore said. She continued to stare for a moment before coming aware of the truth. "No," she said quietly and more to herself. Her eyes were becoming large again. She turned her back to the people watching her. She saw Harry, but her eyes moved past him to the door. She sank to the floor and leaned up against the wall. Harry started to walk towards her.

"Harry," Dumbledore said. Harry stopped and looked up. "I need you to take her to your common room. She'll be safe there. Then I want you to come with us to find Severus." This request surprised Harry. Why would they want him to go with them? But he didn't argue. He reached down for Sarah, who seemed deep in thought; her fists were clenched, and she gritted her teeth. He put his arm around her shoulder to help her stand, and they walked to the Gryffindor tower. When he arrived she was still in shock. He entered and set her down in a chair. He got on his knees in front of her. He squeezed her hand tight and said, "I've got to go. I wish I could stay with you, but you'll be safe here, okay?" She didn't say anything, so he got up and left.