Chapter 4

Harry was still confused as he returned to the Gryffindor dormitory, quickly hiding his invisibility cloak at the bottom of his heavy trunk and slipping under the blanket. He froze as Ron mumbled something but luckily his friend didn't wake. What was Snape playing at? If he had known the answer to the last part of the prophecy all along, then why hadn't he told them?

Harry and Snape had been forced to work together on order business from time to time and Snape had gradually managed to earn Harry's respect and at least some sort of trust but now? Harry rolled to his side, sighing once more as he rested his head on his hands. Could he still trust Snape? He knew that Snape had always loked out for him and never lied to him unless it was absolutely necessary but the prophecy said that he needed the support of the lost raven and in this case there surely was no reason to lie to him? Could the raven be a danger to him? Harry had still not come up with an answer to his thoughts as he finally drifted off into sleep.

xxxHP/SSxxx

Harry groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground, slowly forcing his eyes open as soon as he was sitting. What he saw almost made his stomach turn. He was sitting on a vast, sandy expanse of land that seemed both painfully real and totally impossible at the same time. Everything around him was black. The blood-stained splinters of wood that lay around him, the sand, which shimmered like shattered obsidian, even the sky was so dark that he could barely make out the dark gey clouds floating above. Not a single star was to be seen and Harry was chilled to the bone in spite of the humid warmth around him. The stony ground and the few scattered bushes and crippled trees he could see were of a pale black that fit in perfectly with the dark mountain range on the horizon. A few gloomy red beams of light broke through the clouds and filled the air with an eerie twilight.

Harry climbed to his feet, looking for something, anyting, that seemed familiar but all he could see was the strange plain he was standing on. He frowned as he noticed that his scar had stopped hurting. The bouts of wind around him picked up strength and he was suddenly surrounded by a deafening roar of wind and wings. The flapping of feathers was all around him, drowning out the strange soft music he had heard before. The storm died as suddenly as it had come.

"Hello." A soft, female voice suddenly said behind him.

Harry whirled around, his green eyes widening in surprise as he saw a raven sitting in front of him. The same raven he had seen with Snape at the lake. He shook his head, desperate to get his thoughts into some kind of order. "Is this a dream?" he whispered never noticing that he had voiced his thought till the bird answered.

"Yes," the raven cocked its head, "But it is a good dream. Or rather it can become one if you allow it to." The animal paused. "Won't you sit down? It's uncomfortable to look up at you."

"Of course." Harry almost stumbled over the strange red robes he was wearing as he sat down. He shook his head again as the bird hopped onto his left knee. "Why am I dreaming this?"

"Because it is necessary."

"For what?" Harry asked, forgetting the strange place he was in as he concentrated solely on the bird. "Why do I have to dream this?"

"This is your dream, Gryffindor, only you know why I have to be in it."

"But what are you?"

"I am what you see."

"The raven." Harry whispered, staring at the bird with awe. He knew it was impossible but he thought the bird was smiling. "Will you support me?"

"Support you?" This time Harry could have sworn that the bird was indeed laughing, "I have never supported anyone who wasn't on my side."

Harry frowned. "Aren't you on my side?"

"I have never been on any side but my own." The bird shifted, its claws briefly digging into Harry's skin. "And no one has ever been truly on my side."

"Why?" Harry shivered as the bird's eyes drilled into him for what seemed like an etrnity.

"Because all that once had meaning for me vanished into mist long ago and those who believed in me are long gone."

"Snape believes in you," Harry interjected, his frown deepening, "Why does he hate you?"

"Who said that he hates me?"

"He lashed out at you, down by the lake when you were talking to each other in that strange language." Harry paused, " Why?"

"I don't know," the bird shook its head, "Does it matter?"

"You never argued the point that he believed in you."

"Why should I have?" The bird seemed to be laughing at him again, "Your teacher is no threat to me."

"Even though he lied to me and the headmaster about not knowing what the last part of the prophecy meant?"

"Did he lie?"

"Of course he did! He knows who you are!"

"Does he have a reason to lie?"

Harry shuddered and finally, slowly whispered," Only if he wants me to lose, if he wants me to die while trying to kill Voldemort."

The bird turned away, grooming some of its feathers as Harry stared off into the distance, thoughts racing through his head. His gaze followed one of the strange grey clouds with an unblinking stare. The cloud was slowly changing its shape and Harry knew that the new shape would be something important, would show him something he needed to know but he could not say what it would be or where this feeling came from. Suddenly the weight on his knee was gone.

"What?" He asked, finally tearing his gaze from the cloud, only to find that it was already too late. The bird was gone. "No!" Harry yelled, jumping up and suddenly wide awake again, "Where are you?"

xxxHP/SSxxx

Severus Snape was not a happy drunk. At least not tonight. Sighing he glared at the eastern wall of his bed chamber, hoping that the scenery he was seeing would stop changing or at least change more slowly. He had enspelled the wall to show a view of the lake with the rock where he usually sat when he went out to think. Albus had often asked him why he had chosen this particular scene but he had never told the headmaster about his favourite spot. Nor had he hinted at the true nature of said stone and how precious it should be to the wizarding world. He knew that even the headmaster would laugh at him and call him a romantic young fool.

He was sitting on the dark brown and green bedcovers, legs stretched out in front of him and a bottle of muggle vodka firmly clasped in his hands. His firewhiskey was too precious to get mindlessly drunk on. He wore nothing but a pair of simple black boxer-shorts, an annoying habit he had secretely picked up from the students. Not that he would ever admit to that, of course.

He had hoped to find some sort of peace when running through the forest but instead of respite from the scheming old fool who was running the school and the obnoxious Potter brat he had only found another problem to occupy his mind. Another danger only he could work against.

Raven had disappeared years ago and he knew that even those who she used to contact regularly had not heard of her for what seemed like ages, the Potter brat was probably coming up with new conspiracy theories to explain his unwillingness to teach him occlumency and the headmaster didn't even believe in Merlin, much less in the legends and myths centered around Avalon. And now another player had joined the game, an unpredictable factor that could only mean trouble, pain and despair. The Morrigan always did. Groaning Severus took a long gulp from the bottle, almost choking as the clear liquid burned down his throat. The Morrigan had taken an interest in Harry, Voldemort was getting restless, Dumbledore did not believe, there was no one who could help him get the Gryffindor brat out of trouble this time and he was still not drunk enough to forget the problems he was currently facing. No, Severus Snape was definitely not a happy drunk.

The scene on the wall was changing again. The lake lay peacefully under the star-lit sky, only now and then did some ripples tell of the merfolk and the giant squid living in the clear waters. The small waves lapped gently at the banks, playing a tender song of drums on the rocks they could reach. Severus had spelled the wall so that he could hear the sounds if he wanted to but today he was close to turning that off. They were getting on his nerves. Sunday morning was approaching way too quickly for his liking. The sun had just begun to rise in a fiery swirl of clouds, bathing the sky in a warm cascade of violet and purple that should have clashed horribly with the blue lining over the wood but didn't. The only things that clashed were the serenity of the scene he was looking at and his mood, which did not bode well for any student who would be foolish enough to cross his path. Angrily he drank deeply from the bottle, cursing loudly as he noticed something new on the wall. The bird. The damned brid, who was anything but a bird. His knuckles turned white as he tightened his hold around the glass. It was sitting right on his favourite rock. He leant forward, squinting to get a better look. No doubt. She was sitting on his rock, probably laughing at him and his demand to stay away from the Potter brat. He knew that she could sense him watching him.

"Merlin's balls!" Snape glared at the mess on the floor as he wiped his hand on the bedcovers, still unable to believe that he had actually managed to break the glass. And it was the Morrigan's fault again. Narrowing his eyes he stared at the wall again. The bird was gone.

Where had she disappeared to this time? And even more importantly, what was she planning?

xxxHP/SSxxx

He grumbled something unintelligible at the headmaster and pushed the cup of tea away again. Baring his teeth Severus glared first at the scattered students and then at his colleagues. This had been the fourth time that the headmaster had tried to make him eat or drink something this morning. Since when did the meddling old coot think that he needed help to properly take care of himself? He glared pointedly at Minerva, smirking secretely to himself as the animagus' hand froze over the raspberry jam. Scowling he watched her draw her hand back with an apologetic smile. He might not be hungry but the raspberry jam was still his. He had still been sleepy and hangover as hell when the damned clock in his living room had announced the headmaster's visit loud and often enough to make him drag himself to the door. And of course Albus had insisted that he joined the brunch the headmaster had introduced as a new sunday tradition. This time Severus' glare found Harry at the Gryffindor table. Snape's eyes narrowed as the green-eyed youth glared right back at him, his green eyes cold and calculating. Harry turned away as the bushy-haired nuisance, Granger, whispered something into his ear. Suddenly Severus noticed something else that had been worrying him all morning. Where was Potter's Weasley? Whenever the Golden Trio had seperated willingly they caused nothing but trouble. Severus groaned inwardly and rolled his eyes as he finally decided to grab the raspberry jam after all. Just another developement he would have to watch closely. How much had Potter told his friends about the prophecy? And what had they found out on their own?

Ignoring the headmaster's speculating gaze he started spooning the jam onto his plate, not even bothering to take a piece of toast or some other bread. Potter was watching him again. He needed something to calm his nerves, even if the sugar would probably make his teeth hurt. Why did it always have to be him?