--Open Up Your Mind—
"~Just hold on tight, even if your heart is breaking.
Reach into your soul, even if you can't see it.
Yes, there's another world out there.
You can take another look from the other side.
And you'll be able to find, all that is love…~"
A/N: Yay, here's Remellus' big début!
A big: *GASP!* to hecate-19 because I think you're a mind reader! You scare me… the ideas in my head are scarily close to the things you've mentioned in your reviews!
So… don't ruin it for yourself too badly :p enjoy
Also an apology to the reviewer who disapproved of my D/H slash. Thanks for your review and for liking my story but I'm sure the readers would be disappointed if I didn't continue my slashy ways. ^_~
Italics symbolize the person's thinking, aight?
Lupin glanced over his letter to Harry again, was it too bold to mention Sirius name out of the blue? No, of course it wasn't… he was his friend too… He shook his head and just sent it. No use fussing over nothing, right?
It wasn't long before his owl returned, still with the same letter. Lupin frowned.
"What is it?" He asked, scratching the bird under the chin. "Why can't you get my letter to him?"
Lupin thought about this for a while, there was only one plausible explanation for delivery fail. The person was not at the place the letter was sent.
"That's odd."
~~
"Lupis! I really think you're over-reacting!" A young woman with sapphire eyes cried out to her king.
"You know nothing!" He yelled back at her. "You didn't see them, Dele! They're up to something! I know it!"
Sapphire Dele sighed, the king was paranoid. He thought everyone was out to get him… which in reality wouldn't be that, big of a surprise.
"Maybe if you gave them more to eat and loosened your reins a little they'd—"
"And give them chances to strike at me? No, I must keep my power hold or they'll all turn!" He glared suspiciously at Sapphire. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were up to something too!"
Sapphire's eyes widened. "My Lord! Out of all your most loyal, was I not the first to pierce my own flesh at your orders? Did I not earn my place among you as your most truest and trusted advisor! I surely did not make this position by default!"
Remellus sighed. "Yes, yes of course. I apologize Dele. You must understand and forgive my distress."
"Yes, your majesty. May I suggest you place more Watchers among the people to account for anything suspicious?"
"Yes, a fine idea. Do that."
Sapphire smoothed her hair back; sometimes the king was a big baby about the stupidest things.
"Just promise me you won't make rash decisions and do things without my advice?" Sapphire beseeched.
It would not do for the king to be doing things for other people before not thinking them through… not that he was a generous man or anything…
"Yes, yes, of course." Lupis said.
Suddenly the doors to the throne room slammed open and someone came in.
"Remellus! I want that portrait out of my room!" 'The world's center attraction at the moment', roared. He was clearly aggravated.
"Of course," Remellus said waving a hand. "Anything, My Love."
Sapphire groaned, what was that about not making any decisions without council again?
"Don't call me that." Sirius growled.
Remellus wasn't fazed in the least; he swept past Sirius and Sapphire and went to the window.
"You're certain they won't attack me when I sleep?" Lupis asked, eyeing the crowded streets below.
"Yes your majesty," Sapphire was massaging her temples, this was getting very tiresome. "We'll have guards at your every door."
"Oh, well that's not entirely necessary." Lupis replied.
Sapphire repressed a groan, would he just make up his mind already!
Lupis was about to say something else when the doors burst open again.
"Can't you people knock!" Lupis said and glared at the intruder, who happened to be a messenger.
"I have a very urgent message." The messenger said.
Sapphire went to the messenger and took the scroll he offered.
She read over it and her eyes bulged.
"Your majesty," she said and went to his side. "Lady Star Clubs has lost her medallion to two travelers from the third dimension," She lowered her voice even lower so that Sirius couldn't hear. "They're saying that they're coming here… to 'rescue' Sirius Black from you, your majesty."
Lupis appeared to maul this over in his mind. "Well stop them."
"Right," Sapphire said and called over one of the guards. She told them what to look for. "Strangers from another dimension."
"I'm surprised," Remellus said to Sapphire after the guard had left. "Lady Star is a very powerful woman, and she was beat? At her own game?"
"Yes, they seem very able and powerful individuals." Sapphire agreed, she knew Star well and there was no way she was to be defeated… and yet… there she was… defeated and medallion-less.
"Well they won't get all the medallions now will they?" Lupis said smiling at her.
Sapphire grinned. "No, of course not."
"What's going on?" Sirius asked suspiciously.
These people were insane…all he did was fall from the sky and then he was suddenly some powerful person in a strange world he knew nothing about. He wished he could go home, but Remellus kept telling him that there was no way. He knew he was lying, he just couldn't prove it.
"Nothing, Love, it's nothing." Remellus said breezily.
"May I ask what's wrong with the painting in your room?" Sapphire asked Sirius.
Sirius glared at her. "I don't like it." He said simply.
She raised an eyebrow. She knew it was a portrait of the king, they all were. "Oh?"
Sirius crossed his arms in a stubborn way. "Yeah. I want it gone."
Sapphire seemed to be thinking and then nodded with no farther questions.
Sirius didn't much like Sapphire; she was really the one in charge of everything. Lupis couldn't handle a household, let alone a castle and the entire world. Sapphire was his most 'trusted advisor', Sirius just called her 'his younger mother'.
The painting in Sirius room was of Remellus true enough and maybe to everyone else it wouldn't be that big of a deal, or maybe they were just too scared to say anything. But the paintings wouldn't shut up! All they ever did was talk about its self and the fact that Remellus sounded and looked just like Remus Lupin was just way too creepy.
~~
"Harry! I'm so glad you're okay!" Hermione cried into the arrow pendant.
"How was it?" Ron asked. Harry had contacted them after he and Malfoy had got the first medallion.
"It was weird," Harry said with all honesty. "We had to play a very different game of Quidditch."
"Sounds easy! Especially for you!" Ron exclaimed.
Harry gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, well we got it anyway." He could afford to skip details, right?
"I'm so happy for you!" Hermione beamed. He was okay, that was all they could ask for.
"Well I should go—"
"But we just started talking!"
"I know, I'm sorry, but we've got to get going, this isn't exactly easy…"
"Yes of course… well good luck, Harry."
"Thanks Herm."
"Take care, mate."
"I will. Bye."
"Bye."
And then he was gone.
"Well he's ok." Hermione said, sitting at the foot of the bed.
"He is." Ron agreed.
An enormous burden was lifted off their shoulders.
~~
"Which way?" Draco asked, trying to see over Harry's shoulder at the compass.
"Uh… north, now." Harry said, looking north… there were mountains in the distance.
"Great," Draco said and Harry couldn't tell if he was kidding or not.
"Alright, we'll walk for a few hours with minor breaks in between and then when we find a good place, we can set up camp."
They had acquired a tent from the nice people at the Quidditch city and so they didn't have to sleep outside on rocks.
"Sounds fine to me." Draco said and they started walking.
Five minutes later Draco stopped walking and stared at Harry. "Did we just have a civil conversation?" He asked, incredulous.
Harry stopped too, "Yeah, scary, huh?"
Draco frowned. "Ok. You're a stupid git and I still hate you."
Harry nodded. "That's better. I hate you too."
And they went on their way, still hating each other and still worst enemies… sorta.
~~
Star was staring at the wine glass in front of her. She wasn't exactly over her failure just yet.
"Drink it." A voice said and without thinking, Star did, still staring at the place on the table the glass had been.
"Darling, it's not that bad." The woman sitting across from Star said.
Star frowned, "How would you know? I am the youngest of the council and I've just lost my medallion, how is that not bad? Not only was I bested at my own game, I'll have to prove myself to Lupis all over again!"
"Don't fret, who will he trust in your position if not you? Sapphire won't allow you to be kicked off the council. You know, despite what you think, you are a vital part of the committee, Remellus won't toss you out without a very good reason…"
"Like losing the medallion?"
"Nonsense, you can get a new one, besides as long as they're stopped before they reach Opal Hill, Remellus will be pleased."
"And someone will stop them?" Star looked up to the professional looking young woman across from her. She was wearing a dark blue business like suit and her glasses were slightly pointed at the end. Quite the opposite of Star's Quidditch robes… the woman was a brainy type, most unlike Star and yet...
"Of course Love, just leave that to me." The woman said and raised her glass. "Cheers."
Star grinned, she was feeling better already.
~~
"Oh come off it! We've only been walking for two hours!"
"I don't care," Draco said sitting on the ground. "I need to rest. My feet are killing me."
Of course Malfoy would be wearing some kind of fancy, pureblood boots instead of the required hiking shoes or something. At this rate they'd reach the mountain-based city in a year!
"Can't you walk just a little longer?" Harry pleaded, hating himself for it but they were in a hurry!
"Not unless you carry me." Draco said.
Harry thumped to the ground across from Draco. Angry now.
"Fine, rest." He growled, pouring malice into his words but Draco didn't seem to notice or care.
Draco took off his boots and was massaging his aching feet.
Harry fell back onto his back and stared at the light purple sky. Out of all people, why him?
Harry sat back up; he would try anything (save from carrying him) to get Malfoy to keep going.
"If I switch you shoes, will you keep going?" Harry offered.
Draco stared at him. "Those awful things?" He said eyeing Harry's running shoes. "Are you mad? I wouldn't be caught dead in those."
Harry gave a frustrated sigh.
"Excuse me?" A voice suddenly said to them and they both jumped, they thought they were alone.
"Who are you?" Draco asked. The young girl standing right near them was about their height, deep green eyes and straight black hair. She was wearing a black cloak with a silver snake on the latch.
"My name is Silver. Spade Silver, actually and I was just wondering if you'd be kind as to tell me where I am?"
Harry stared at her, "We don't know."
"Oh? So you're lost too?"
"We're heading towards that mountain." Harry said and pointed to their destination and then he sent a particularly nasty glare in Malfoy's direction.
"Ah I see," She said. "Very well then, good luck. Oh," She stopped and turned back to them. "Before I forget." She waved her arms in a strange motion that reminded Harry of some sort of monk and a pain shot through Harry's head. Judging by the groan he heard from Draco, he guessed he was feeling it too.
When Harry had cleared his head he looked up and the girl was gone.
"What did she do?" Draco asked, his feet forgotten and holding his aching head.
"How am I supposed to know?" Harry asked. The headache was intense but it cleared after another five agonizing minutes.
"That wasn't very nice of her." Draco said, putting his boots back on.
"What would you know about being nice?" Harry challenged, throwing rocks at nothing.
"Absolutely nothing." Draco said. Sounding arrogant as always.
"Can you walk now?" Harry asked irritated very much by now.
"I'm sure I can make it for a while, but I'm delicate you know."
Harry rolled his eyes; he was such a prat.
"I am not." Draco said, putting his bag back on his back.
"Not what?" Harry asked, bewildered.
"A prat, Potter."
Harry frowned; did he say that out loud? He must have.
"Whatever, Malfoy." Harry said, dismissing it.
They continued on their way.
~~
Lupin flipped through an old textbook he'd found. He had decided that Harry was just out or something and he'd write to them like the Order agreed every three days. Which would be tomorrow. Things would be fine.
Lupin came across scribbling in the margin of his faded textbook.
~What's the answer to number four?
~Sirius! I said you could
share my textbook, not my answers!
~Come on, Moony!
~Sirius, you're ruining my book!
A sad smile crossed Lupin's face; he was going to miss him very much.
~~
After another two hours of walking, Draco was sore again. Damn those boots! And it was getting dark, so they decided to stop and rest and eat for the night.
"Why the hell did you wear those boots to a world like this?" Harry glared.
"I didn't know what kind of a world it was! For all we knew it could have been a world revolving around fashion… and then you'd be in trouble, wouldn't you?" Draco returned. Digging through his bag for something.
Harry shook his head, what kind of moron would believe in a world revolving around fashion?
"We live in a world revolving around fashion," Draco said. "Of course you wouldn't notice though. All you need is that scar and you're instantly popular, no worries then."
"So if the new fashion was a lighting bolt scar, you'd do it to fit in?"
"I don't need to fit in. I already do. It's the other people who need to fit in with me."
"Oh that's not conceded at all." Harry said sarcastically.
Draco didn't dignify that with an answer. He had found what he was looking for and was fixated on the fire.
Well it's better than being a scumbag low-life living in a box, now isn't it?
"What was that?" Harry asked, "Are you looking for a fight?"
Draco looked up, startled. "What? I didn't say anything."
"Yeah sure, whatever. I heard you loud and clear."
Draco stared; there was no way Potter had read his mind! That was not cool!
Harry stared too, and then he picked up a can of something. "Are you hungry then?"
Draco eyed him suspiciously, "Sure."
Harry tossed the can to him and got his own. They sat there in silence after that, not even thinking. Just staring at the fire they had made… the dancing flames… and no thinking… no thinking at all.
~~
Hermione had talked to her parents and confirmed the permission to stay with the Weasleys a little longer. Which was good, then she and Ron could share the arrow pendant and both talk to Harry.
"Mom says it's dinner time." Ron said poking his head into the room Hermione was sharing with Ginny.
"Alright." Hermione answered, finishing the journal entry she was writing.
Hermione had decided to take down the events that Harry told them. Ron didn't see the point, but Hermione was Hermione and she insisted it a good idea. And so it was to be.
"What are you always writing in there?" Ginny asked. "You've never kept a journal before, and nothing exciting has happened since you got here."
Ron looked at Hermione and Hermione thought fast. "Uh… I'm writing a story."
"Really? Can I read it?"
"Uh… when it's finished. Ok?" Hermione smiled trying to be convincing.
"Alright then." Ginny said and left the room to go to supper.
"You know," Hermione said to Ron as she put her book back into her overnight bag. "We can't keep this a secret for long, someone will notice Harry's gone, eventually."
Ron nodded. "I know, but Mom'll freak if she finds out we—"
"Found out what?" Mrs. Weasley asked from behind him.
Hermione went pale and Ron went red.
"We… uh… ate the banana bread." Ron said quickly, knowing that Fred and George had snuck in that night before and took a bunch of food. They said that they could have bought their own but Mom's was better.
"Ronald Weasley!" His mother cried. "I made that bread for your father's business trip!"
"I'm sorry!" Ron cried back and his mother huffed away mumbling something about teenagers and food.
Hermione and Ron shared a wary glance and followed her downstairs.
~~
"There is no way I'm sharing a tent with you!" Draco exclaimed. The tent the good people from Quidditch town gave them, turned out to be a Muggle one room tent.
"Well sleep outside then." Harry retorted.
Draco glared at him.
"Just stay on your side of the tent and I'll stay on mine." Harry said finally and Draco frowned. "Fine. But I'm not used to small, confined sleeping areas." He said.
"Just go to sleep, Malfoy." Harry said, not bothering to change out of his clothes because he had nothing new or different to wear anyway. Plus, he'd rather die than change in front of Malfoy anyways.
"Oh please, like I'd peep on you." Draco growled from the other side of the tent.
Harry sat up straight, ok, he was sure he hadn't said that out loud.
"Ok, is it just me or is there something seriously wrong going on here?" Harry asked and Draco sat up too.
"What are you going on about?" Draco asked.
"You're reading my mind!" Harry cried, horrified as the words left his mouth.
"I am not!" Draco cried back. "How would I do that?"
"I don't know! But you've been doing it all day!"
"Ok then," Draco said, crossing his arms in a stubborn way. "Think something and I'll see if I can read it…"
"Ok."
Uh... the sky outside is dark green...
Draco shrugged, "See? Nothing…" Then his eyes widened and he clamped his hands over his ears. "No! How the hell did that happen?" Stupid Potter, I bet he put a spell on me!
"I did not!" Harry yelled. "You're probably the one who did this… you're the Dark Arts studier here!"
Draco stared at him, "Now you're reading my mind!"
"What? How?"
"I don't know, but I didn't say that last part aloud."
"How did this happen?" Harry asked, frowning in concentration.
Then at the same time, the answer popped into their heads.
"Spade… Silver…"
~~
It was dinner at the castle on Opal Hill and of course that was a good thing, right?
What the hell is this? Sirius thought, looking down at his food. It looked like some kind of animal… but then, maybe it was pasta?
The table on which they ate was a very, very long table; it would seat 150 people at the least. Remellus, of course was at the head of the table and to his right was Sirius and his left was Sapphire.
"Something wrong, Love?" Remellus asked, looking at Sirius.
"No, no," Sirius said and picked up his fork as if to eat. "And don't call me that."
"Call you what?"
Sirius growled, "Lov-"
The doors swung open and woman stepped in.
"Spade! How wonderful of you to join us!" Remellus exclaimed, getting to his feet.
"I've completed the task." Spade said taking a seat beside Sapphire.
"Oh? Excellent." Remellus smiled at her.
"I've poisoned their minds with each other and if they don't kill each other first, it will weaken and slow them down at the least."
"Good," Remellus said raising his wine glass. "A toast then, to the head of my guards."
Sapphire and Spade raised their glasses, nodded, and took a sip.
Sirius stared at them, something wasn't right…
~~
After a long and sleepless night of tossing and turning and fear of sleep because they were afraid the other would appear in their dreams, Draco and Harry decided it best to get up and just go.
As they packed up, Draco was surprised to find himself attempting casual conversation. "You know," he said. "It was sort of strange for Star's people to give us that tent but not even a broom or something. They are the Quidditch capital of the world, aren't they?"
"Yeah," Harry agreed, zipping up his bag. "That is sort of strange, inconvenient too."
Throughout the first three hours of their walking and the mountains growing ever closer, they kept their talking to a bear minimal and their thinking at an all-time low.
Harry had attempted to think of some strategies and numbers of how and when they'd get to their destination, but Draco had told him to shut up because he was making his head hurt.
But the uncomfortable silence hanging between the two boys was tugging at them and it was quickly becoming a tiresome burden.
"Ok," Harry said at last. "We're going to have to think of something." He said pointedly.
"What?" Draco asked.
"We'll just have to find a way to not read each other's minds." Because I won't have a Malfoy invading my personal space as well as my mind.
Draco narrowed his eyes, "I heard that." And don't think I want you in my mind either!
"Let's try something, then," Harry said, stopping and facing Malfoy. "I'm going to try thinking of something and your going to try to read my mind, but I'll try to block it. Ok?"
Draco rolled his eyes; trust Potter to come up with something stupid. "Fine."
Harry leered, suggesting he had heard the 'stupid' comment and thought about not letting Malfoy invade his mind.
Quidditch.
Draco stared at him and blinked… "I can't tell what you're thinking." He said.
Harry beamed, "Good! Now you try."
Draco thought about not letting Potter read his mind.
Mountains.
"Nope, can't read it." Harry was smiling now, "Problem's solved!"
Sure it is, but you're still an idiot.
Harry glared at him.
~~
They finally arrived at the mountain city. Which they learned was called: Babylonia.
"How the hell can you walk in these things?" Harry asked, Draco had whined again about sore feet and finally took Harry's offer to swap shoes… they were the most uncomfortable things Harry had ever worn!
"Not so easy, is it?" Draco smirked, "It hurts to be beautiful."
Hurts you if I punch you, Moron.
"Try it." Draco sneered.
The city was as big as Quidditch had been. The people were all rushing around, going places, doing things.
"Should we ask someone then?" Harry asked, the cities buildings were all of blue glass. It was amazing.
"Any better ideas?" Draco asked. Well it was obvious that that was their only hope.
But before either of them could ask anyone any questions, a voice rang out from behind them.
"Welcome to Babylonia! The capitol of scientific research and intelligence. I'm Becky, will you need a guide during your stay?"
Draco and Harry glanced at each other, well this was convenient.
"We're looking for a medallion." Draco said, looking around. The city wasn't gold but the blue glass was just as attractive.
The girl called Becky laughed and then stopped suddenly, "Oh, you're serious?"
Draco frowned, "Well of course we're serious!" What's the deal with these people?
Don't ask me.
"I'm sorry," Becky said putting a hand to her mouth to hide her embarrassment. "It's just that we don't get very many people around here looking for the medallions... over 100 different people have tried to retrieve all six medallions in that past century… none of them made it."
"What happened to them?" Harry asked.
"Well," Becky said, glancing down at her clipboard. "Most of them died, others disappeared, and the rest went insane."
Draco and Harry's eyes widened in shock.
"Well then," Becky said and started walking towards what looked like the center of the city. "Shall we be on our way? I suppose Ms. Straeh isn't expecting you?"
"Pardon? Who?" Harry asked.
"Ms. Aster Straeh, the founder and principal of this city."
"I guess not, since we've never met her." Harry said. These towns just keep getting weirder.
Draco nodded.
After ten more minutes of walking, Becky stopped in front of the tallest building in the city. "Well here you are," Becky said and bowed to them. "Enjoy your stay, and good luck."
And with that, she turned on her high heels and walked away.
"That was quite different." Harry stated and he and Draco entered the building.
~~
"What do you mean they're getting along fine!" Remellus roared, throwing an apple at Sapphire's head, she ducked and it hit the wall behind her.
"Forgive me, My Lord!" Spade cried. "I didn't know that they'd get along with each other assaulting their minds! I thought for sure they'd go insane! But Aster's assistant, Becky, contacted us and told us that they seemed to be indifferent towards it all!"
"Well you've made a grim mistake." Remellus growled, and Spade and Sapphire winced. Only they knew just how nasty the king could get when he was angry.
"Calm down," Sapphire said, stepping in and placing a hand on the king's shoulder. "We'll take care of it, Aster will stop them, don't you worry. Why don't you go take a walk to relax your mind?"
Remellus seemed to think about this.
"Take Black with you." Sapphire suggested and the king nodded.
Remellus left to go get Sirius, leaving Spade and Sapphire alone.
"We have to stop them." Sapphire said simply.
"I know," Spade said. "And we will."
~The stars may live for a long time,
But that doesn't mean, that the same
Days will repeat over and over.
No one can see into tomorrow~
Author's Notes: I don't own the song I've quoted at the top and bottom of this chapter, and I'll probably quote some more of it in the next.
It belongs to the talented: MIRAI "Open up your mind" from the Saiyuki soundtrack.