Thanks for hanging kids. Keep on reviewing I love to know that I'm loved. Anyone wanna be a BETA? 'Cause I need one? Any takers? email me. Thanks - Bex

Chapter Five: Connections

"All the memories that you should've had
Are a cabaret haze
There's just a hole where you know he
Should've been
There's no one worse off than you
When you can't describe what you've seen
These dreams have let you down
Take it don't break it just it turn around
These dreams won't let you down"

"These Dreams" Robbie Williams

'

I was scooping a bucket of grain mash for the last mare's breakfast, when suddenly a cool breeze swept through the barn. I looked up expectantly to see a flash of light. You could always tell if a storm was coming if the temperature dropped, it was important that if a storm was coming, that I get the horses in because a wet horse conducts electricity. But no lightning came, as I stepped briskly out into the dull morning. The sun was almost rising, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Hard for it to storm if there weren't any clouds. I shrugged and walked back to my grain silo, picked up the bowl, and carried it over to the hungry horse's stall, who started devouring it as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. I was grinning at her when again a cool wind blew, this time it picked up dirt, hay, and dust as it spun itself around me, I closed my eyes, the horses began whinnying and bucking against their stalls. But it all faded into silence, I had my eyes tightly shut. Suddenly, laughter and singing erupted in my ears. I opened my eyes.

"Happy Birthday tooo yooou!" The boy with green eyes (of course they were closed, but I recognized him right away), was grinning happily and blowing out his candles. Ten people with bright red hair, a girl with bushy brown hair, a black fellow, a sandy haired boy, a woman with short purple hair, a boy with freckles, and a girl with blonde hair and bug eyes, were all standing around him clapping and cheering. He opened his eyes and looked directly at me, his eyes opened wider with shock. I grinned, he cocked his head to the side, but grinned back at me. Then in a blur we were transported forward, I could feel my loose bun trail out behind me and my un-tucked shirt rustling about. We stopped abruptly, and it was all I could do not to fall over. Green Eyes looked over at me, I shrugged my shoulders and looked ahead of me. We were at the same house as last time, the shutters were closed tightly, the dark musty smell engulfed us. A candle was again flickering in the same room. I looked up (for he was tall, and lean, and muscular... but I digress) at Green Eyes, and as he looked down at me a figure passed before the door, He glanced away from me and I took a cautious step forward, he followed suit. The tall evil man, known as Voldemort (I pondered over this name, it was French after all. Fly from death... very curious indeed) stood in the middle of the room with four cloaked figures kneeling, and kissing the hem of his robes.

"Well?" Voldemort's high, cold voice cut through the air like glass.

"No, my Lord, nothing." came a response filled with fear. "We searched Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Avon, my Lord, she was not there."

"You are sure?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Why so far south?" Voldemort kicked out at the nearest bundle of robes and started to pace. "Ireland, Whales, Scotland. These places will be searched."

"Yes my Lord, we will do our best."

"Your best? Avery, I do not want your best. I want that girl!" his snakelike face contorted in anger. "She should have already been found!" he was nearly screaming now. "Have I failed to express my need for her? Bellatrix!" a limp shivered and stood erect.

"Yes, my Lord?" came a woman's deep voice. Green Eyes let out a sound of pure anger. I glanced at him, his eyes were ablaze with hate and fury.

"Tell me the reason for her."

"For complete restoration master and to conquer the weak." Voldemort nodded.

"You are spared." He whipped around to the other three still kneeling before him. "CRUCIO!" green blazing light filled the room, ear splitting screams surrounded us.

"Harry!" he felt a sharp stinging pain on his cheek, but that was nothing compared to the pain that was pulsating through his entire body.

"Hermione," she knelt anxiously closer to him "Would you be so kind and not hit me again? I didn't faint, I had a vision." Hermione blushed then blanched at the word 'vision". He sat up, and quickly had to lay back down because his head felt as if it may explode.

"Harry, please lay down." Hermione brushed his hair softly out of his eyes. He gladly leaned back and tried to relax.

"Where's Lupin?" he whispered.

"Away on a trip, he said that there was going to be a raid, remember mate?" Ron's pale face loomed over him. "Mum, owl him immediately."

"I need to talk to him," he tried to sit up again. "It's really important." his eyes glazed over in pain, trying to sit up again was a bad idea. "It was about... Kitty..." he managed to choke out before everything went into a hazy black.

"Kathryn!" a loud brash voice brought Kat back from wherever she had been.

"Wha?" she cracked her eyes open a bit, but the now risen sun was entirely too much for her eyes. "Shit, damn, FUCK!" she moaned through clenched teeth, as she grasped her forehead.

"Out like a light, and still has the vocabulary of a sailor." Kat heard her Aunt Margaret say. Kat vaguely pondered where she was, she felt a firm object under her, she wondered if it was a bed or the dirt where she fell earlier. "Kathryn, get up now, stop drawing attention to yourself." Aunt Mags said exasperated.

"Aw, now ma'am I don't reckon she's drawin' no 'tention to herself, she been faintin' a bunch lately... is she sick?" Mr. McBride said.

"No, I'm certain she's faking it. Now Kathryn." she prodded Kat with her high heel shoe.

"Oh, Jesus! My head..." Kat groaned as she attempted to sit up.

"Quit blithering. Here, take these." she handed her three Tylenol (with no water), Kat swallowed them, and got gingerly to her feet. A wave of nauseousness swayed Kat, she quickly became sick , and deposited the mess of Aunt Mag's nice red heels.

I opened my eyes to find myself in my own bed. A blanket thrown over me, a wet rag over my forehead, and to top it off, the worst ever taste in my mouth. I can't even begin to describe the vileness of that taste. I sat up and clutched my head, it still ached, but not as bad as it was earlier. I looked on my night table and saw a glass of water, I grinned thankfully. I grabbed the water and drank it in one huge, long gulp. By the time I had finished, the vile taste was out of my mouth and my head didn't hurt so much. Aunt Mags suddenly appeared at my door.

"I hope you know that you ruined my favorite pair of pumps. I expect them to be replaced."

"You do, do ya?" I ran a hand through my tangled hair.

"Yes, and if you won't, I'll find a way of punishing you. Don't forget the last punishment." Evil woman, I couldn't forget my last punishment. I went to a tattoo parlor and got a tattoo of a four leaf clover on my left arm. I felt my Irish heritage should be relevant to everyone. That's another thing that my aunt told me about my mom, she actually came from Ireland. When Aunt Mags found out what I did she made me scrub the entire kitchen, both bathrooms, and the garage floor with bleach and a toothbrush. She grinned evilly as she saw my face remembering that particular punishment, the most foul of them yet. "You think you're so tough, try to defy me Kathryn, you will never win." I clenched my teeth together and stared at her stringy straw colored hair. It suddenly combusted, she screamed and patted frantically at her hair. I did nothing. That was far from the first time I had made anything strange like that happen. There was the time that I made my chemistry teacher's wig levitate three feet off his head and change colors. The time when I bounced down a hill instead of falling and getting multiple broken bones from the sharp rocks. The time when the horse hoof that was about to smash my head as I fell, magically went five inches to the left.

"That's it!" Aunt Mags shrieked, her hair faintly smoking. "No pay for a week. It's all mine. It'll pay for my shoes and my hair." She sneered at me and slammed my door. I sighed and attempted to get out of bed but collapsed, I was so tired I just leaned back into my lumpy bed and fell asleep.

"Who's Kitty?" Hermione whispered.

"Kitty's the girl, he–-." Harry's moan interrupted Lupin's conversation.

"Harry!" Hermione's white face was just inches from his, he could feel her hot breath on his cheek. He turned over, but regretted that action, pain surged up through his chest all the way to his head. He groaned out in pain, but regretted that also, his throat was on fire, his eyes watered in response from the double pain from head and throat.

"He'll be alright you lot," he heard Molly Weasley's voice rise above Hermione's shrieks and Ron's bellows.

"Can't you give him a pain potion Mrs.Weasley?" Hermione's voice was full of worry.

"Sorry Hermione, but you should know I can't just whip up a batch."

"Yeah too bad Slughorn couldn't be here to make it." Ron said sarcastically. Harry laughed, clenched his teeth from pain, then sat up, leaning on Hermione's shoulder for support. Ron grinned and knelt down beside him.

"So who is this Kitty?" Ron asked giving Harry a glass of cold pumpkin juice. Harry looked at his friends guiltily, especially Ron, Harry had told Hermione a lot, but Ron always seemed to be in the dark. But not even Hermione knew what Harry had been dreaming about this girl.

"Harry?" Hermione whispered waving her hand in his face.

"Oh, er, I need to owl McGonagall." Harry said avoiding her eyes. He got to his feet, wobbled slightly, then started walking purposely to the Burrow. No one followed him, and he was grateful. He supposed Lupin had told them to leave him alone. He walked through the ruckus that is the Weasley home, from the strange family clock to the never ending self knitting needles, he loved it. He made it to the other side, and walked through the front door. He leaned against it and slid down the door. He hid his head in his hands against his raised knees. What am I going to do? he thought sadly.

"You know Harry, you're not that great at concealing things from me."

"I know, I really don't know why I try." he looked up at his best friend. She was back-lit so he couldn't make out her features but he could recall them from memory: shining chocolate brown eyes, small be-freckled nose (probably picked up a few more freckles in France this summer), thin lips, and a chin that could stick out farther than anyone's he knew of. "But really Hermione, I've dug myself in deep this time."

"Oh honestly, it can't be worse than the prophecy." after he didn't reply right away, "Can it?" she asked.

"It can and it is." he sighed and rub his fists into his eyes. Hermione looked at him in shock. Her eyes glazed over in tears and she closed them quickly to hide her weakness, for she hated being weak in from of him, in front of anyone.

"What is it?" she asked slowly putting a hand on his arm.

"I – I can't tell you right now 'Mione." he sunk his head. Why couldn't he tell her? She was there for him throughout all his years as a wizard. "But I will tell you." he held her eyes with his for a moment, hoping to convey that he really did intend to tell her. Hermione's heart quickened the longer that Harry's eyes lingered on her own. She couldn't put her finger on it but something inside her clicked, she was about to say something but she heard footsteps coming towards them. Harry heard them also and he reluctantly took his eyes from hers to behold Ron striding towards the door. Hermione quickly removed her hand from Harry's arm. He was astonished how cold his arm was without her hand there. He held her gaze for a quick moment before Ron opened the door and joined them on the porch.

"Mum's just received an owl from McGonagall. She's on her way here, Moody and Shaklebolt are coming along as well."

"Right." Harry and Hermione said at the same time. They grinned at each other then quickly averted their eyes.

"Erm, are you two alright?" Ron asked suspiciously gazing at Hermione who was rather red.

"Yes." they said again in unison.

"My head's just still a bit wooly." Harry said rubbing his head to assume the act, which in fact, wasn't that hard, it still pounded mercilessly.

"Right, they'll be here any minute so Mum told me to find you." his eyes were shifting from Harry to Hermione. "Am I missing something?" he asked.

"No, er, Harry was just telling me of a dream he had." Hermione started.

"And it frightened her." Harry cut in.

"Right." Hermione said feebly.

"Right." Harry muttered hoping Ron fell for it.

"Right." Ron said with a raised eye brow. "Off we go then. After you Harry." Harry cast a sideways glance at Hermione and went through the door. "We'll be right there mate." Ron called and the door shut with a bang. When Harry got back to the yard McGonagall had already arrived with Shaklebolt and Moody.

"Alright then Potter?" Moody asked as Harry made his way falteringly over to the Order members who were sitting off from the crowd. He nodded his head. "Have a sit down laddie."

"Here Potter." McGonagall shoved a glass of cold pumpkin juice into his hand. "It's laced with a calming drought."

"Thank you." they watched him drain the juice.

"Tell us what happened then Potter." McGonagall said soothingly as she casted a privacy bubble around them. He proceeded to describe the events in his vision.

"I like this girl already." Moody said. "Just trotted right in didn't she." he chuckled.

"But she's the real concern though." Shaklebolt said.

"If He gets her we're done for." Harry said as if realizing his words as the truth for the first time. "He can't get her. I won't let Him." he said vehemently.

"Alright Potter, we're working like house elves to get to the bottom of it." Moody said.

"I think she might be American." Harry muttered.

"What?" they said moving in closer to him.

"Well, during one of my visions she said 'hey', but it was like... 'hay', I dunno how to describe it, but she's definitely not British."

"Alright. Good work Potter. I'll talk to... I'll take that into consideration." McGonagall said. Harry looked at her confused. Who was she going to talk to? "Well, how are you feeling Potter? Better?" he nodded his head slowly, still befuddled by her words. "I've got to get going. See you at Hogwarts. I'm the new headmistress." she smiled at him, and leaned forward. "Keep in touch Harry." she patted his arm and apparated with a faint 'pop'.

"Well Potter, we're off as well." Moody said breaking Harry's look of complete confusion. "Lots of slime to imprison." he said proudly.

"Oh right, how'd that go today?" Harry said, getting down to business.

"Well, we got four of 'em." Moody said.

"And they didn't get any of us, I think they're getting sloppier." Kingsley said.

"Or more desperate." Harry said under his breath. The men nodded their head.

"We'll be working for the girl." Kingsley said leaning in and clapping him on his shoulder.

She was standing in the middle of the room. Her white undershirt in ribbons, her black bra showing through. Her face was bloody and bruised, and terror shone in her eyes.

"Oh yes, you are not as useless as you thought. You life is worth something after all." Voldemort was sitting comfortably in a plush chair starring at her. He flicked his wand almost lazily, ropes shot out and bound themselves tightly around her. She managed to stay on her feet, but couldn't be silent any longer.

"Who the fuck do ya think you are? What do you want with me? Why did you kill my mom?" questions blurted out of her mouth in rapid fire.

"Such language. And so many questions. But you won't get any answers. You mean one thing to me. And it won't come easy." His flat snake like nose flared. "Wormtail!" he called. A short fat man came waddling towards his master with a long silver blade. She screamed raspily. "Come now, this is your use. Well," he grinned evilly, "your blood will be the real use." He advanced toward her snatching the dagger as he passed the traitorous fat man. She screamed again, this time her voice broke, tears shone on her face creating runnels through the dirt and dried blood.

There was a flash of light and Voldemort's maniacal laughter echoed around him as he sat up from his chair, his scarlet eyes ablaze with lust.

"She will be mine." he muttered madly to himself.

"ARGHHHHH!" Harry sat bolt upright. "No!" he gained his bearings, no one was in his dorm. But his eye caught a piece of parchment by his glasses.

Harry,

Went down to breakfast early. See you in Charms.

Ron

First day back at Hogwarts and already his dreams were forcing Harry to lose sleep. His stay at Number 12 Grimmauld Place had been hard to stomach, and as short as it was he spent a lot of time cooped up in his room reading and studying. The trip on the Hogwarts Express was uneventful, so uneventful in fact that Harry fell asleep and had a vision of Kitty riding a horse full speed around blue plastic barrels. He woke up in a good mood only to be spoiled by Ron and Hermione snuggling on the seat across from him. Then when he left the compartment to get some air he ran into Ginny and Seamus leaving the loo looking very disheveled, but happily disheveled. Harry got dressed quickly and ran to Professor McGonagall's office, but quickly realized that he didn't have the password. He stood outside staring angrily at the sneering gargoyle.

"Lemon drop." he whispered in bitter hope. Surprisingly the gargoyle leaped aside and Harry ascended the steps cautiously. He didn't hear any voices at the door, but knocked anyway. He heard faint whisperings in a familiar voice. Harry opened the door and looked around. His jaw dropped in shock. There on the wall sat Albus Dumbledore.

"Nice of you to come and see me Harry." he said, his eyes portrayed twinkling just as if he were really sitting across from him.

"Dumbledore." he said dumbly, it was all that he managed to say. His throat felt as it someone had taken it and squeezed it with all their might and his eyes were stinging, holding back tears.

"Yes. You didn't forget that all the expired Headmasters and Headmistresses had their portraits here?" he smiled slowly.

"So you're really..."

"Yes. I am afraid so."

"Oh." he hung his head and swallowed the lump the size of a hippogriff in his throat.

"Come now Harry. I'm here now. I'm not completely gone. I know what's been going on and I must say I'm disappointed in you." Harry looked up quickly. "Why so shocked? Have you thought to use Occlumency to block out the dreams?"

"Why would I want to block them out?" he said surprised.

"Did you forget what happened fifth year? Voldemort used you as a television to see what was happening here. Do you really want him seeing you see the girl?"

"Er–." Harry blushed. Dumbledore's eyes had lost their twinkle as they bored into Harry's and he suddenly looked like the wizard that Voldemort would be afraid of.

"But you want to dream of her don't you?" it wasn't a question, it was a statement. Harry looked at Dumbledore pleadingly. She was the only thing getting him through the past few months.

"She needs me." was all that he could think of to say to him, Harry still couldn't believe that he was talking to Dumbledore in the first place. Must less being scorned by him.

"The whole wizarding world needs you Harry." Dumbledore said slowly edging closer to the front of the painting. "Think. Voldemort wants her, you don't know where she is, he doesn't either. If he somehow tapped into your visions again and saw her, he might get a clue where she is and then there would be no hope for us. Block her out Harry. For your safety and hers." he gave Harry one last stern, non-twinkling glance over his glasses and disappeared out of the side of the painting. Harry was left standing in the empty office feeling twice as confused as he did when he came in. He was not prepared to see Dumbledore and even less prepared to hear to stop thinking of Kitty. That was pretty impossible.

Harry didn't even notice where he was going as he stumbled though the corridors. Peeves floated over him, not even bothering to take a piss at him. He rounded a corner and nearly fell over at the impact of another body crashing into his.

"Tonks!" he helped up the disheveled ex-Auror to her feet.

"That's Professor Tonks to you Harry."she grinned and started brushing off her flourescent orange robes. "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing out of class?' she brought her orange eyes up tp his.

"Er– I was talking to Dumbledore and then kind of lost track of where I was going." Harry rambled.

"Dumbledore? Cat's out of the bag?"

"Yeah. I totally forgot that he would have a portrait up there."

"So why were you in there anyway?"

"Needed to talk to McGonagall about something important."

"Ah, having though nightmares again then?"

"Yeah – how do you know?" Harry said suddenly indignant.

"Well I heard it from Minerva, who heard it from Molly, who heard it from Kingsley, who heard it from Remus..."

"Bloody hell..." Harry said holding up his hands. "Puts a new meaning to the grapevine doesn't it?" he shook his head. "Think I could trust one person with one bloody thing. But no, of course not."

"Now don't lose a knut there Harry. I'm sure no one else knows." Tonks grinned reassuringly at him.

"Harry how could you?" Hermione slammed down her fork as Harry sat down next to her at lunch. "How could I what?" he asked innocently, expecting her to ream him out for skiving off Charms.

"Well it more of how could you not." Ron said through a mouthful of kidney pie.

"Wha–?"

"Your dreams!" Hermione shrieked, turning to look at him with her great brown eyes.

"Who told you?" he said raising his voice.

"Tonks accidently let it slip." Hermione said softly.

"Well," he thought quickly how to get out of the situation, he couldn't handle this right now. "Hermione remember when you and I had that conversation at my birthday party?" Ron made retching sounds.

"Yes," Hermione whispered, totally forgetting her anger with him.

"Well, er, that's what I wasn't ready to talk about." he glanced at Ron who was still pretending to be sick. "Oh shut it Ron!"

"Well if you two are through..."

"There was nothing to be through with Ron, stop being a git." Harry said sternly to his best friend. Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione blushed.

"So will you tell us now?" she said.

"Later." he said as he glanced around the crowded hall.

I turned over in my four poster bed, not being able (again) to fall asleep, because if I fell asleep I would dream. Usually dreaming is a harmless experience, unless you have a scar on your head that connects you to the deadliest wizard on Earth. Then your dreams end up with you writhing on the floor in intense pain, wishing that you could forget what you just saw. Which of course is impossible. Those images won't leave you in a hurry. Even after Dumbledore's lecture and even though I've mastered Occlumency, and I can clear my mind from all these disturbing dreams, so I can have a peaceful sleep– I don't.

"Harry?"

"What Neville?"

"What's that noise?" his voice sounded shaky, and in the silence, and out of my thoughts, I heard it.

"Lumos." I muttered, I kept my wand under my pillow– I could just imagine what Mad-Eye would say: You could blow you head off laddie, what are you thinking!

"S'matter?" Ron sputtered groggily peering blearily through his canopy hangings.

"Sssh!" I hissed straining to hear what Neville had heard.

"Lostss! Where am Iss? Lostss yess very lostss."

"Sounds like..."

"... a snake." Ron finished for Neville.

"It's lost." I paused trying to hear more.

"Too colds yess much too coldsss where is the yellow orbss?" I laughed, and stared at a cord on my canopy making it look like a snake.

"Hello?" I asked uncertainly.

"What does it wantss?"

"Come out so I can help you."

"How does I knows it won't hurtss me?"

"I promise." I said putting my hand over my heart. The snake sniggered, if it is possible for them to do so, it was definitely a giggle. A sharp intake of breath from Ron's bed made it clear where the snake was.

"Follow the vibrations." I said tapping softly on the banister of my bed in a tune of a popular song.

"I can sees its, but its friend isss jumpy." it hissed back. I stopped drumming abruptly to cover my mouth to keep from laughing.

"What's so bloody funny?" Ron said grumpily from his bed. "Try having a snake go up your shorts and have a giggle about it."

"I'm sure she didn't mean it Ron." I said as I reached for her.

"What's its name?"

"Harry Potter, and yours?"

"Sali, my owner named me after her house." she said dropping her extra s's.

"As is Salazar Slytherin?" I tried to remain calm, why would someone's pet from Slytherin be roaming the castle? Well, it's not totally unheard of, Trevor, Neville's toad, escapes all the time, but why did this snake just so happen to find her way to my dormitory.

"I'm not here to hurt you."

"Sorry?"

"You think that I came in search of you to hurt you." she paused. "You're wrong. You need help Harry Potter, and I am the only one that can help you."

"Help me?" I said in English.

"What mate?" Ron said, he and Neville had been watching open mouthed with the eyes the size of dinner plates.

"Why were you so untrusting to me? I mean if you want to help me, why would you–."

"That was the only way to get your attention Harry Potter, you have noticed that I am speaking perfect now, no extra s's? Yes... I knew if I were to get your attention I would have to act as if I needed help. Are you going to listen to what I have to say or not?" I would listen to her, why not? If it gets dangerous, or stupid, I can just stop. "Thank you Harry Potter, but I'm afraid that it will become dangerous. And you will not be able to stop once you begin." I immediately thought of the girl in the dream, how I couldn't stop myself from thinking about her, when I knew I'm supposed to be shutting myself off from any dreams having to do with Voldemort. "Yes it is to do with Kat."

"Kat?" I said forgetting Parseltongue.

"Where's a cat?" Dean mumbled from his bed.

"Will you please make some sense!" I hissed angrily at the snake, ignoring the now four pairs of eyes that were peering out from their hangings.

"I thought you had controlled your temper." Sali said, slightly indignant. She was partially right, only rarely did I lose it, rather then when I was younger I was a ticking time bomb with a very short fuse.

"Please just explain, should we go into the common room by the fire?"

"Sounds smashing." she hissed.

"You lot go back to sleep, I'll be back." I got up and put on my school robes to keep warm in the crisp fall coolness.

"You reckon..." Ron asked as I walked past his bed with Sali draped across my shoulders.

"No Ron you don't need to come, you won't understand a word." I grinned. "But I do think we'll need Hermione after this."

"Yes, she is very clever, she will be of use." she stuck out her tongue near my ear.

"Right then," Ron shrugged his shoulders and sunk back into bed.

"How'd you know what I said to Ron if it was in English?"

"Hmm, well I thought you would figure it out by now." I looked blankly at her. "I can read minds Harry Potter."

"Oh, well, that explains a lot." I mumbled stupidly, amazed that I hadn't thought of that before. "Well can we get started?" I asked eager to know more about this 'Kat'.

"Of course I need to say this before I begin. Not all snakes are evil." I nodded. "The Dark Lord has tortured, mutilated, and exploited the serpent kind. Many of us have converged over to the light side, spying on the Dark Lord."

"Brilliant."

"Yes. But much needs to be done. But that is of a different meeting. Come let me tell you about Kat–."

"Who exactly is Kat?"

"She is the one you dream of Harry Potter. The one that the Dark Lord needs to complete his transformation."

"She... why does he need her?" my brain going a mile a minute, thinking about all the dreams.

"That's right Harry Potter, she is the heir and the final horcrux of the Dark Lord."

"Heir? That's impossible. Nowhere does it say that Voldemort has an heir." Hermione was pacing in front of the fire. She, Ron, and I sat in our usual chairs by the fire, discussing what I had told, including the dreams and visions of Kitty.

"Yeah, I don't reckon he would go 'round shagging unsuspecting witches..."

"Ron!" Hermione half giggled.

"No," I sighed. "There's not a record of him having a kid, but I don't think Kat is his child, she looks around our age." I said gazing at Sali, who was curled up by the hearth.

"That means she must be his granddaughter." Hermione said. "Tell me again about your dreams Harry." she tried to catch my eye, but I tactfully started cleaning my glasses.

"I've told you already..." I protested, I didn't even want to have this conversation, I wanted to help Kitty.

"Yeah Hermione, let him rest a bit, he's a bit knackered, he didn't get much sleep."

"Alright, alright." she heatedly, plopping down into her chair.

"Actually," I said sitting up a little straighter. "D'you think we could find her?"

Silence.

"Harry... how– how would we do that?" Ron asked leaning forward. I looked over expectantly at Hermione, her Head Girl badge pinned onto her dressing gown glinted in the fire light.

"How should I know?" she sputtered dejectedly.

"Sali, sorry to wake you, but do you know where Kat is?" I turned away from my friends to the six foot Burmese python that lay comfortably on the rug by the hearth.

"Far, far away from here. Much warmer there." she said sleepily.

"Er, how far?"

"Her voice is very faint compared to yours, but she is there."

"What do you mean by voice?"

"You are connected to her Harry Potter. That's why I know she is in danger, I can hear her thoughts through you."

"What?" I asked in English.

"What is it Harry?" Hermione looked alarmed.

"You mean to say, that when I dream of her you can hear her because we share a connection?"

"Yes."

"What kind of connection?" I asked awed by this information.

"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked again in a firmer tone.

"Wait a bloody moment!" I snapped at her, she looked shocked, I hadn't been to short with her since fifth year. "Go on Sali, what about the connection? What kind? How'd I get it? Does she know? How does it work?" I asked eagerly, trying not to be upset by the look of hurt on Hermione's face.

"Patience Harry Potter. Kat does not know. She knows not of the danger that is brewing. Harry Potter, you must save her." the snake said urgently, she slithered up to eye level with me. "If Harry Potter fails, nothing will be able to stop the evil from destroying all in its path. The Dark Lord will rise once Kat is taken."

"The Dark Lord has already risen."

"But is still weak Harry Potter, using an heir's blood in potions will grant him immorality, he will be completely indestructible."

"Bugger." I said incredulously. Ron and Hermione looked up, their eyes questioning. "Sali, how long do we have? When does Voldemort" (Sali hissed) "plan on taking her?"

"Why must Harry Potter mention his name?" she said as if she were in great pain. "From what I have heard, the new moon of the tenth month the potion will be prepared with the final step being the addition of the heir's blood."

"Hermione, when's the next new moon?" it was already October seventeenth.

"The thirtieth. Why?"

"We need to save her by then. I need to talk to Dumbledore – and the Order." I got up to leave.

"But how exactly do you know its her?" Hermione asked.

"Well really, I can't believe it took me so long to figure it out. She was the baby in the dream when Snape killed Siruis' wife. Sirius' wife was Voldemort's daughter." I said pacing.

"I don't think Sirius had a wife mate, wasn't he sort of a witches man?" Ron said sprawled out in his chair, his lanky legs hanging over the end almost tapping the floor.

"Well that was his reputation. But wasn't mine in second year Heir to Slytherin?" I said flopping down into my chair. "That's it! She's the Heir to Slytherin as well, not just Voldemort's." I ran my hands through my hair tiredly.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"No, but I'll have to anyway. The Order needs to know."