A/N: The first half of this chapter is what happens to Harry in his coma. The second half switches back to Hogwarts and what is happening there. In case I confuse anyone, and the next few chapters may be a bit confusing, Harry is in a coma for 2 months, School starts back a month into it.

Thank you to my wonderful Betas Kat, Blackpaws22, Kireina1 and Kas.

On with the chapter!

Chapter 4:

Harry had awoken to find himself in a field of grass with a forest on the horizon. Not a forbidding looking forest like the one at Hogwarts but a friendly looking forest, if trees can look friendly. Harry got up and decided to go exploring.

'Wonder where I am,' he thought to himself, 'what happened? Where's Uncle Vernon, and Little Whinging, and Hogwarts. This place looks unfamiliar.'

Feeling very lost and alone, Harry wandered into the forest.

'I should be feeling afraid, I'm in a forest – after all that Professor Dumbledore has said about what things live inside these places the last place I should be wandering is towards one. Yet I feel a sort of affinity for it, like I belong here, like something is calling me. I must be going crackers, the beatings must have finally gone to my head and I've lost it'

Harry kept walking, patting trees as he went in greeting, he didn't know why he did this, but it felt right somehow. After spending hours walking he decided to sit down and rest in a small clearing. This clearing was not a normal clearing though; it was pentagonal in shape and had a big monolith along each side, with gaps in between that you could walk through. It looked a bit like Stonehenge, although Harry had never seen Stonehenge, the Dursleys had visited there when Harry was seven to show Dudley the sights but they had left Harry with Mrs Figg. Harry always missed out on trips. The Dursleys did not want to be seen with the freak, as they called Harry. At first Harry hadn't been that bothered, he figured that anywhere the Dursleys went was probably boring anyway and that he wasn't missing anything.

By the time he reached six though he had started to wonder why his family was different to all the other children's families. Why didn't he have two loving parents who took him on outings each weekend, why didn't they buy him presents and make a fuss of him like the other parents did with their children? Why was he different? When he returned home one day from school, he and asked Aunt Petunia that question; she told him about his parents being in a car crash and that he should be glad for all that his Aunt had done for him. He was always going to be different as he was a burden.

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Awakening a few hours later he found that it was dark, he must have fallen asleep. For the first time in months he had not had any nightmares, he was glad. Deciding that it was a bit cold he lit a fire, it also provided light. Harry was sitting by the fire when he saw the shadows appear to move and a gigantic creature approached. It was about the same height as Buckbeak had been, the Hippogriff he had saved in third year; although it was more solidly built and had the front half of an eagle and the back half of a lion. Remembering having read about these in his first-year book "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them" he was unsure what to do. He thought that they were supposed to be unfriendly with only a handful of wizards being able to get close to them. Yet here was one approaching where he was sitting voluntarily, as if drawn by the cosy fire. Deciding to remain seated, so he didn't appear a threat, he patiently waited to see what the griffin would do, as he was sure that this was one of them. As if sensing that Harry posed no threat the griffin approached and spoke to him.

"Hello, I saw your fire and wondered who you were. We do not normally have visitors in our forest; it is nice to meet someone new. I am Larei, its Japanese for swift soldier, and I live here in the forest along with a host of other creatures, although I am one of very few that can communicate to wizards. I believe you have met a centaur before, so I don't need to tell you about them but we also have a variety of snakes, which I know you can talk to. You are indeed gifted among wizards, Harry Potter, you alone have to power to end Voldemort's reign of terror, a great deal of responsibility has fallen upon your shoulders at such a young age. You have handled this extremely well and for that I respect you."

"Uh, thanks. I think. How do you know so much about me?"

"We are in a world that is not part of the world you live in, it is a between world, here is where people go when they leave the world prematurely, like your parents. They are here as well."

"So, is Sirius here too?"

"No, he is not dead, or in a coma like you are. What happened to him was different. That is all I can say about that. When you need to know more, the answers will find you."

"Thank you, Larei. Where are my parents?"

"When it is time to meet them they will find you. Good night, Harry Potter."

Larei disappeared back into the darkness and Harry was left alone again, but feeling much more confused than before.

'I wonder what he meant by "when you need to know more the answers will find you", that sounds like something Professor Dumbledore would say. What could it mean? Answers don't find people - people find answers. Argh, I'm so confused!'

Pondering what Larei had meant for a while longer he fell into another dreamless sleep.

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Harry awoke at the sound of hoofs entering the clearing he was in; hurriedly sitting up he was surprised to see three centaurs gazing at him.

"Hello, Harry Potter, it is nice to meet you. We are three whose names do not matter, what matters is what we foresee in your future. Mars shines brightly in your future, this is dimmed somewhat by the passing of a large asteroid. Jupiter is unusually distant and Saturn appears to be hiding something. This you need to know so remember it well, young Harry."

"What do you mean Mars shines brightly in my future, I thought centaurs were interested in Astronomy not astrology. There are no asteroids between the Earth and Mars, what are you talking about?"

"The particulars do not concern you at this stage, just remember our words well and the answers will appear in time. Just look to the sky whenever things go wrong, your answers will be there among the stars. That is all from us, your parents will be coming soon, you need to rest. Good Bye, Mr Potter."

The centaurs left, returning their gaze to Harry often, as if sensing his confusion, but unable to do anything. Centaurs do not talk plainly, as we do not understand their intellect; they speak in riddles to help us. Harry did not appreciate their riddles but decided that committing their riddles to memory would not be a wasted effort. Clearing an area in the dirt, he wrote the three main things the centaurs had said regarding the heavens down. Sitting back he studied what he had written and wondered what it meant.

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Harry spent the next few days gazing at the message from the centaurs that he had copied into the dirt and wondering what it all meant. 'Hermione would know', he thought to himself, 'she'd be able to interpret this in a heartbeat.' It didn't help to think that way but it made him feel slightly better, he'd get his answers when he woke up from his coma. Deciding to settle down for a short nap Harry fell asleep and was woken up hours later by the sound of hoofs, again. Looking up he saw a pure white stag looking at him; it came up to him and nuzzled into his chest before transforming into the familiar figure of James Potter. He was shocked, he finally gets to meet his dad, and it was amazing. A million thoughts were flying through his head and he just stared dumbly at his father.

"Hi"

"Hi, Harry. I guess you know I'm your father, right? How are you? I'm sorry for leaving you like that as a baby. Did you grow up with Sirius?"

"No, he was sent to Azkaban for your death and the deaths of thirteen muggles and Peter Pettigrew. I was sent to live with the Dursleys. It's ok, I met Sirius a couple of years ago, and he escaped from Azkaban and came to Hogwarts to find Peter. He told me he was my godfather. He's gone now tho, he was cursed by Bellatrix Lestrange and fell into the veil in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. I miss him."

"Sirius didn't kill us tho, Peter did. Why was Sirius sent to Azkaban? I'm going to kill Peter for this. Sirius had talked your mother and I into swapping secret keepers and making Peter ours, as no one would suspect him. He must have been working for Voldemort the entire time and he told him where to find us. Poor Sirius."

"Dad, that sounds weird, um, I know what happened that night. When I'm near the Dementors I hear you and Mum screaming just before you die. Sirius and Remus, as well as others have told me what happened before that. I, um, at first I wanted to hear you, it made me feel close to you. I don't remember much of either of you and hearing you talking was like getting to know you. I know that wasn't good, but it was all I had of you apart from a photo album that Hagrid gave me and your invisibility cloak. Where's Mum?"

"Coming, I can run faster as a stag, so I beat her here. When did you ever see Dementors? They do not live anywhere near Hogwarts, they guard Azkaban, what were they doing at Hogwarts?"

"Looking for Sirius, he had escaped, in his dreams before he left he kept muttering that 'he was at Hogwarts' they thought he was referring to me, but he wasn't, he was talking about Peter. They came to a Quidditch match, I play seeker, and I fell off my broom and the Whomping Willow, damn tree, smashed it up! Sirius bought me a new one for Christmas, so it was alright."

"Hmm, looks like we missed a lot in your life. When your mother arrives do you mind if we get you to tell us what has been happening to you? It's just we know some things but it is always better to hear it from the person themselves."

"Yeah, ok"

Whilst the two boys got acquainted Lily was watching from the shadows cast by one of the tall, upright stones. She smiled to see two of her most important men talking together. She slowly made her way up to them.

"Prongs, you ran off! Hi Harry. How are you?"

"Why do you keep asking that, I'm here because I'm in a coma, of course I'm not alright! I will tell you what happened and about my childhood and Hogwarts."

The next several hours were spent around the fire talking. They discussed Harry's upbringing with the Dursleys, the incident with the snake at the zoo, the flying Ford Anglia – Lily had not been happy with that! James was impressed, said his son was brilliant; he and the marauders had never tried a flying car! After talking most of the day and well into the night they fell asleep. Whilst they had been talking, Lily and James would occasionally exchange glances as if questioning something, then they both would shake their heads and continue. They thought Harry hadn't noticed but he had, he lay on his back, watching the stars and wondering what it all meant.

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(Back at Hogwarts, 1st September)

Ron and Hermione were sitting at the Gryffindor table looking at the empty seat beside them, where normally their other best friend, Harry Potter, sat. They wondered where he was.

"I don't know where Harry is, but he wasn't on the train so I'm going to ask Professor Dumbledore and see if he knows where he is. The Dursleys' may have done something to him." Hermione sounded worried tho, despite her words to Ron.

After the feast they made their way up to the headmasters office and after reeling off a whole lot of sweet names they made their way up to his office.

"Sir, do you know where Harry is? He wasn't on the train."

"Yes, I do. Miss Granger. Mr Potter is currently in a coma in the hospital wing. He has been there since the night of his birthday, we don't know if he will awaken or what he'll be like when he does. You may go and visit him first thing tomorrow, but do not let your study suffer; I'm sure My Potter will be fine."

"Thank you Headmaster"

Turning they left the headmaster's office and continued on their way to their common room. They wondered what had happened to Harry to send him into a coma for a month.

Little did they know it would be a while before he awoke . . .