Harry Potter and the City of Masks
by Josephine Taylor

Chapter Four

Harry dreamt that he was on a sun-filled beach, the sound of the ocean lapping against the shore. Birds and other morning sounds gradually filtered into his dream and enticed him away from the wonderful world of unconscious. Opening his eye's he stifled a gasp, his breath catching in his throat.

Sunlight hits his face but it was not from an open window in his flat. Harry found himself lying in a corner of large square, his back leaning against the wall.

Harry's first thought was one of shock and his instincts told him that someone must have transported him whilst he slept, for this strange place was surely not a dream. His hand went automatically to the pocket where he always kept his wand for fast withdrawal. Imagine his horror when he discovered it missing. Looking down at himself he cursed.

Harry was stood in a pair of loose jogging trousers and a thin t-shirt, his usual night attire. The trousers had no pocket and even so it was not Harry's usual practice to go to sleep with his wand in his pocket. It was resting on the bedside table where it did every night.

He stood to get a better look at his surroundings. The square was quite large, but there was no one to be seen. By the quality of the light, Harry could tell that it was still early morning. The only sounds to be head, was off the sound of water lapping against a wall and the early morning birds. Raising his eyes, he glanced upon a dome of silver glittering beyond the roof-tops and his confusion to where he had been taken to increased. Harry was sure that there was no where in England like this.

A small, deliberate cough to his left had Harry spinning around and setting into defence mode that months of Auror training had conditioned in him.

In the shadows, Harry could just make out the shape of a man sitting on a low wall. As the figure stood, Harry took a couple of steps backward. If this was an enemy, he wanted to have enough distance between them.

'Who are you?' Harry's mind ran through the number of manoeuvres that he could achieve without a wand, conscious of the fact that this could be one of the death eaters that have been out to get him for a year. In a strange place, Harry had little chance.

The man steps nearer and into the light so that Harry can see his features for the first time. He appeared to be a young man, only twenty or so, with a mop of light brown hair and laughing grey eyes. His face was relatively un-blemished and he was tanned like one who spent a large part of his time out doors. When he spoke his voice was full of light and laughter.

'My name is Matteo. I've been expecting you.'

Harry was completely floored at his. Matteo, as the young man introduced himself as, seemed openly pleasant and trustful and had not one hint of a dark personality that Harry had come to associate with the Death Eaters. But then, Harry didn't trust people easily.

'Wha – why? Where is this place? What's going..'

But Matteo held up a hand to silence Harry's questions. For a second, the young wizard saw the strange look around in fright, as if looking to see if they were being listened to or watch.

'Come. It's not safe to speak of such things out here.' He gestured for Harry to follow him across the square and Harry, having no other choice as he was now completely confused, started to follow. It was then that he noticed.

The sun rose behind the pair, casting the strange place into light. Harry followed Matteo fully into the sun, feeling warmth in himself that he hadn't felt in years. Whatever this strange place was, it was definitely better than London. Harry looked down at the cobbled and stone ground and gasped, suddenly feeling faint. Stretched out in front of them was Matteo's shadow, long in the morning light but of Harry's own there was only sunny stone.

A/N - Sorry for the delay in updating, I had a little bit of writers block, but that ended a few nights ago when I had sudden inspiration. I've been writing out the chapter plots since then! I realise that this is only a small chapter, but this (and poss the next) is just the easing of Harry into Talia, after that it will get a lot more eciting I promise!

As always please review if you read, i'd like to know what you all think about this project!