Chapter 2

Nightmare

The darkness I have lived with, the never ending silence I endure, have never ceased to end. Not ever in my world that I have seen anything else in the unconscious state I dive into each night. Until today.

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In the depths of my sleep, the silence was piercing. When I suddenly began to think straight, and slowly regain consciencness, I decided I was awake now. I sighed gently, getting ready to face the new day. I rolled over on my side, noticing how lumpy the mattress was. Time to get a new mattress, I thought to myself. I prepare myself, and slowly opened my eyes. To my surprise I wasn't in my room again. Instead I awoke to a dark room. I was lying on a bed in the middle of a row of other beds. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could see that the room was long and narrow, and across it was another row of beds. As I peered closer they looked like hospital beds, some with curtains around them. Oh great, I think I'm going insane, I thought to myself. I heard a snort coming from one of the beds, and I whipped around to the bed beside me, frightened. A person was beyond the folds of the blankets, sleeping soundly, and snoring quietly. Oh great, I need a psychiatrist. I started to panic. I didn't know where the hell I was and not to mention my mother would soon freak out if she found me not in bed.

I lifted my hands instinctively to feel the bump that was on my head, and to my surprise, it was gone. The gauze wasn't there, and I was healed. Impossible. I tossed the blankets aside, and threw my legs over the side of the mattress. I noticed that I was still wearing the blue jeans my mother had given me. The body beside me rolled over on its side and groaned, and I jumped in surprise. I heard rustling down at the end of the room and I heard a door open. I quickly stood, staggering as my head spun. And I trotted out of the nearest exit that was only ten feet away from my bed. I headed out.

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Wherever I was, the place was huge. Although I could not see all of the details of it when it was dark. I found myself walking down large corridors, filled with exquisite portraits of the most random subjects. I glanced at one through the darkness, and observed an old man falling asleep, slumping over a table. The table had parchment sprawled all over it. And a bottle of ink was spilled all over the table and it seemed that the man hadn't noticed since he was asleep, slumped in his chair. But the oddest think about this painting was that if I peered close enough I could actually see the breathing. And to my surprise, the man snorted, and the snort echoed throughout the vast walls. I practically jumped backward thirty feet, amazed at what I had seen. I quickly walked away not looking back.

I found my feet taking me throughout the entire place, not knowing or wondering about my destination. A few minutes later I found myself completely lost, or really like more lost than I was before. I quietly started to panic, and my head started to spin. I needed to get out of here. I needed to get home. Each corner I turned I found myself in another similar corridor. The only other places I found were rooms full of the most unlikely objects. Some like a skeleton of an unknown creature hanging from the ceiling, or jars full of floating animal parts, some I couldn't even decipher what they were.

The corridors were dark, and so silent I could here a pin drop. The clapping of my bare feet against the cold, stone ground were loud and the sound echoed throughout the entire place. I reached another corner and I faithfully made another turn, hoping to find my salvation. I turned the next corner, and I came upon two large old-fashioned French doors, as tall as the ceiling. I walked over and pushed them open, peeking my head through. I saw staircases, many of them. But I couldn't even see the details of most in the dark. Well, at least this was different. I went to one of the staircases and started to walk up the steps. When I was about halfway upstairs, the staircase suddenly shifted under me, and started to move. I was so surprised and unprepared that I lost my balance on the step I was on, and I found myself falling through the air, down the strange, levitating staircase. With quick reflexes, as I fell of the last step, I grasped it with all my might. The staircase suddenly came to a halt, and I found myself hanging of the edge of the staircase. I looked over my shoulder, and I saw that I was about fifty feet suspended into the air. It was a long fall. I gulped. My hand started to slip, but I quickly used my other hand to hold on. Good thing I was passing P.E. I pulled myself up with ease and I was finally in the safe zone. I sighed in relief, and wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead.

I quickly walked up the stairs to avoid more falling and I found myself, once again in a similar corridor. Then I really started to panic. Then the burning sensation formed in my throat, and I could feel the hot tears coming. They ran down my cheek uncontrollably. I started to run, turning every corner that I approached. After about five minutes, I found myself getting nowhere. Then, out of frustration, I stopped dead in my tracks. The tears still flowed. I buried my hands in my hands, and wept quietly to myself. I was so lost and confused, and I couldn't find my way out of this twisted maze.

I sniffed and wiped away the tears with my sleeve. And again viewed my surroundings. It was to dark to see anything so I closed my eyes. I have once heard that if you count to yourself when you are scared you would calm down. I started to count to myself.

"One," I said quietly to myself. I took a deep breath.

"Two," I said after that. And then I exhaled. And once more I inhaled to mutter the next number.

"Three," said a voice behind me before I could even finish. I whipped around to see a figure emerging from the shadows.

It was a man. He was holding a candle. The flame was almost extinguished, but dim enough to see most of his face. The small light reflected of his glasses, which seemed to be in the shape of half moons. He was elderly, wearing a nightcap, and possessed a long silvery beard that seemed to sparkle in the light.

"Who…who…? Was all I could babble in the midst of my confusion.

"Here is not the place to talk, my dear, so it would be best if you would follow me," he said gently.

Even though I could hardly see his face, the man had a certain warmth about him. He seemed trustworthy and I knew that it would be best if I'd listen to him if I wanted to get out of here alive. If I ever got out of here.

"Come along," he called gently over his shoulder as he led me down the dark corridor. It was only a few short minutes until we reached the man's destination.

We halted in front of a large statue of a gargoyle, which sat at the very end of the hallway.

"Licorice wand, " the man said to the inanimate object.

I watched utterly amazed as the gargoyle sprung to life before my very eyes. And leaped aside to reveal a hidden staircase. The man walked up the stairs, but I stood there frozen in place, not knowing if I should follow or not. I didn't know what to do.

" Come on, dear. No need to worry," I heard him call after me.

I quickly obeyed, not thinking twice about the situation. I followed up the narrow staircase, tripping over my feet from the lack of light. We reached the top and the man led me to a door, which opened right when he walked up to it. He led me into what looked like his office.

The room was fairly large and circular. The walls were packed with unknown items and more portraits. Once again the people in them were moving, but most were asleep and snoring. Across the room, the man took his seat at his desk. Next to the desk was a large perch, and there sat a magnificent bird, with feathers of radiant orange and red. I gaped at the sight of it. I have never seen such a bird before.

I glanced over at the man. He folded his hands on his desk, and peered at me over his half-moon glasses.

" I bet you have a lot of questions running through your mind, Anna Stewart," the man said first thing.

I looked at him surprised, and perplexed.

" How do you know my name?" I asked.

He chuckled slightly and smiled a wide grin at me.

" I have known you for quite some time, Anna," he replied, not helping much.

There was silence in the room. The bird groomed his feathers, and the man coughed quietly.

" I don't understand sir," was all I could say.

"Anna," he said a little more firmly, "Do you know where you are right now?"

I shook my head in response.

" Why, you are on the foundations of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said simply, " I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of this magical school. I am a wizard. And you, my dear, are a witch."

There was a long silence again. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from this nut job.

" With all due respect, sir, last time I checked there was no such thing as magic, or wizards, witches, or anything like that. I think you have made a mistake."

He started to laugh softly, which made me feel embarrassed. Why was he laughing at me?

"Sir, I am not a witch!" I blurted out quite loudly.

"Anna, please sit," he said smiling.

I looked around, but there was no chair. I just looked at him, confused.

"Oh! My apologies," he said. And with that, he picked up a long stick-like thing that lay on his desk beside him, and with a flick, a chair appeared right in front of my eyes.

"Now, you may sit," he said grinning even more widely than before.

"How did you…how did you do that!" I asked, pointing at the chair.

"Magic, my dear. I am a wizard, of course!"

"Okay…I think I believe you now," I said still utterly amazed.

"Anna, please sit," he said again and this time I obeyed.

"But sir! Please tell me. How did I get here?"

He then looked at me surprised. And then started rustling through some papers on his desk, sorting them, until they were neatly stacked. I didn't know why he was doing this; maybe he was trying to digress from the conversation.

"Sir, please tell me," I said begging him.

"Anna, you of all people should be able to figure this out! But if you really want me to tell you, then I'll tell you this! You came to our school by yourself!" he said firmly.

"You are not making any sense! I couldn't have come hear on my own! I don't remember how I got here, so how could I have gotten here on my own!" I said angrily, feeling my temper rise.

"Anna, what did you dream two nights ago?" he said out of the blue.

"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING!" I yelled out angrily.

"Tell me! Or you won't be able to figure this…"

"Nothing! Okay? I didn't dream anything!"

"But isn't that impossible?" he asked.

I looked away from him.

"Ahh. But not for you, right?" he said, eyebrows raised.

I whipped around at him. How did he know so much about me?

" Strange things have been happening lately haven't they, Anna?"

" Why should I tell you?" I was done being polite now.

" There is nothing I don't already know about you, Anna."

" Then why are you asking me!"

" Please answer my question, " he said to me looking me straight in the eyes.

I thought about it. I was so angry and confused it was hard to think logically, but after thinking, I realized if I just answered his questions, this could all be over soon.

" I can't dream!" I blurted out, " I have never been able too!"

" Until today, right?" he said.

" What?" What do you…?"

" Anna Stewart, I will tell you some valuable information."

He leaned in closer toward me and muttered words that hit me like a falling piano.

" You are dreaming right now."

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A/N: Hey everyone! Hoped you liked chapter 2. If you are like so confused…good! That means you should be excited to find out more in chapter 3! Don't worry, the mystery will soon be unfolded. PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you! Look for chapter 3, coming soon!