A Shadow of Events
"And keep that ruddy bird quiet!" bellowed Uncle Vernon before he crashed onto the pale pink couch.
Harry didn't reply. He had gotten incredibly tired of hearing Uncle Vernon's voice enlightening him with unnecessary remarks. He continued up the stairs, stepping over the creaking step, before turning aside to the solitude that his bedroom provided.
As the door came to a close, Harry collapsed onto his bed. He didn't want to think. Out the window, the moon was cowering behind a cloud and the stars were dull. He knew not returning to Hogwarts was the right thing to do, but yet his heart told him otherwise. Not going back meant losing the place which he called home even though it wouldn't be safe.
Harry blinked; his eyes were tired but not his brain. As his eyes closed for longer periods of time he found himself relaxing. At least it was safe here for the time being. With that thought he drifted off to sleep.
Harry found himself in a marsh. The trees were like monsters; their trunks reaching deep into the murky water that rippled around them. The top of the trees stretched high above a thick layer of cloud. The banks were mud slides leading into the water. Rocks were covered in slime and the air was thick and musty.
Not knowing what to do or which direction to go in, Harry gazed around. His eyes spied a hinkypunk sitting on the edge of the water. Its lantern shone brightly, lighting up the moss that enclosed the ground. Harry found the glow mesmerising and instantly began to walk towards it. The hinkypunk launched into action, it bounded away through the swamp and out of sight. Harry trailed it.
The hinkypunk guided Harry through the swamp, and every now and then it stopped, sniffed the air and moved on. The hinkypunk suddenly stopped. It looked up at a cliff face, as if searching for something. It leaped up onto a rock, and then disappeared behind it. Harry wasn't sure whether to follow or wait here. The hinkypunk came into view again. It placed its lantern on the weather worn rock and vanished swiftly. Harry decided to follow, he climbed up the rock. When he reached the lantern he stood up. The lantern was swinging dangerously on the edge of the rock. Harry made a grab for it, but the lantern toppled over the ledge. The ground came rushing up to meet its victim and the lantern shattered.
The marsh went dark. Harry could only just see the ground. He jumped down the side of the rock where the hinkypunk had disappeared. It was even darker down here; Harry couldn't even see his hands. He groped around in his pocket for his wand.
"Lumos," Harry muttered. The light from his wand drenched the walls in light. The cliff ran all the way up through the layer of cloud, out of sight. The other side of the ravine was hidden in darkness. A voice was calling to Harry, telling him to go forward, Harry continued into the ravine. He could feel eyes on the back of his head, but when he turned around nothing was there. The voice was still there, urging him forwards. Harry quickened his pace.
There was still no sign of the hinkypunk and Harry was nearly at the end of the ravine. The light shone everywhere except a small spot in the corner. Harry walked closer, suddenly he stopped. The shadow had taken a shape. Harry couldn't quite believe it and for a moment his brain betrayed his eyes.
Harry began to walk again. "Sirius?" Harry whispered, as though he was afraid to wake the creatures that called this their home. The shadow smiled. "Sirius" Harry whispered, his voice becoming more urgent as he got closer to the water stained rock face. The shadow was fading. "Sirius," Harry said again, but the face had gone. As the light forced the shadow away, a crack formed. A wave of familiarity washed over Harry, as he stepped through the crevice.
Crunch, Harry looked down. He was standing on bones. The entire floor of the cave was covered in bones and feathers. Harry bent down to pick one of the feathers up. He had seen these before. They belonged to Buckbeak. This was the cave in which Sirius and Buckbeak stayed in during the Triwizard tournament.
There was a scratching noise behind him. Harry turned around. The hinkypunk was back and was scratching the floor looking for food. Harry walked over to the hinkypunk and when it saw him coming it hopped away through a small opening in the wall. Harry followed, the hinkypunk stopped at the edge of a large indoor lake. The black water lay still as if it had been consumed by death.
In the heart of the lake, behind the hinkypunk was a stone paved circle. A stand and bowl which greatly resembled a bird bath was standing in the middle. No birds were insane enough to wander into the cave, where the smell of death lingers in the air.
Something in the back of Harry's mind was telling him to go to the centre of the lake. But Harry had no clue how to get there.
The hinkypunk seeing Harry realised that its job was done and bounded out the way it had come.
Harry walked cautiously around the edge of the lake. Over the far side he found an old wooden boat, worn and tattered sitting half out of the water. Two oars were resting on the only seat which the boat provided. Harry pushed the boat into the water, and climbed in; he took the oars and placed them in the slots. He held his wand safely between his teeth while he rowed across.
The water near the middle of the lake stirred and bubbles rose to the surface. Harry looked over just in time to see a figure rising out of the water. The figure looked dead. Its skin was a yellow-whitish colour and the stench coming from it was horrific. Harry tried not to breathe, but it was hard. The figure began to move towards Harry, however as it got closer the figure stumbled, falling back into the water. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He reached the stone paved circle without any other worries. He climbed out of the boat and walked over to the bowl held up by the stone stand.
Harry looked into the bowl. A silvery substance had taken refuge inside. It looked a lot like the pensieve that was secured in an old cabinet in Dumbledore's office. Harry prodded the surface of the liquid with his wand. It began to swirl rapidly. Harry bent over the bowl and plunged head first into the silvery substance.