Harry struggled to keep his eyes open as he apperated back to his house. Him and Ron had just finished up a fifteen-hour patrol in Hogsmeade, and it was now three in the morning. He dragged his feet up the stairs and was just about to turn to go into his and Ginny's room when he heard a whimpering sound coming from Lily's room.
Frowning, he opened her bedroom door and saw Lily thrashing around in her sleep, obviously in the middle of a nightmare.
"Lily!" Harry said, lightly shaking his daughter awake. "Come on, sweetheart, wake up."
"Dad?" Lily said, sitting up sleepily.
"You were having a nightmare," he said softly, kissing the top of her head.
"It was terrible," Lily said, climbing into Harry's lap. She had tears falling down her cheeks.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
"Claridina got to you," she sniffed. "While you were trying to protect all of us…she killed you!"
Harry stroked Lily's hair. "It was just a dream," he said.
"But what if it really happens?" she wailed.
"Lily, I don't want you to worry about that," he said softly. "Do you want to sleep with me and your mum?"
Lily nodded, and Harry picked her up and carried her to his room.
"You're getting so big," Harry said, setting her down on the bed. He could remember back when she was only a baby…"G'night, Lily."
….
"She dreamed you died?" Ginny frowned, running a comb through her red hair.
"Yup," Harry sighed, putting his razor back by the sink. "She said she dreamed Claridina got to me."
"She's always worried about you, you know," Ginny said softly. "We all are."
"Gin, you know I've got to-"
"I know," she nodded.
"I hate that she's even thinking about that," Harry said heavily.
"Well," Ginny said. "There was something in the paper yesterday that she read that might have contributed to it."
"What?" Harry said.
Ginny went back out to the bedroom and came back into the adjoining bathroom with the previous day's copy of The Daily Prophet. On the cover was an article entitled The Rise of another Dark Era
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered, taking the paper. He looked at the byline. "Of course; Rita Skeeter." He began reading the article.
While nineteen years have passed since the wizarding world had lived in fear of Dark Magic, it seems that this comfort has been only temporary. Claridina Wretermoust has been on the run since for months, fiendishly avoiding the Ministry of Magic's clutches, just as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did before her. When mentioning the Dark Lord, one's mind must certainly immediately wander to The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. How is Mr. Potter dealing with the idea of having yet another Dark wizard to defeat? Not well. As the head of the Aurror department of the Ministry Magic, it has been confirmed that Potter has been face to face with Wretermoust this past year, barely escaping with his life. Will Potter save us yet again from the perils of the Dark times before us? Or will Claridina Wretermoust get the best of him? The verdict remains unknown, but as of right now, it seems that Ms. Wretermoust undoubtedly has the once up on the once beheld Boy Who Lived.
Harry tossed the paper into the wastebasket. "Rubbish. Absolute rubbish."
"I didn't know she was still writing," Ginny said.
"Neither did I," he sighed.
"I don't blame Lily for her dream," Ginny said. "The way she wrote it was like Claridina was waiting for you around every corner."
"I'll be home early today," Harry said. "What do you say we take the kids out to that far field by the lake and play some Quidditch when I get home?"
"I think everyone would like that," she smiled.
…
When Harry arrived at the Ministry, Hermione and Ron were waiting for him by the Floo entrance.
"Harry, we don't know if you saw the paper from yesterday but-" Hermione started.
"I saw it," Harry told her.
"That woman is horrible, just horrible," Hermione said.
"She's going to create a lot of panic," Ron pointed out. "I mean she pretty much painted Harry as a sitting duck for Claridina. Wait a minute, Hermione, don't you have blackmail over her? You can just report that she's an illegal animagius and-"
"Unfortunately," Hermione sighed. "She's officially on the register. I looked last month and her name was there."
"Damn, too bad," Ron said. "Anyway mate, don't pay any attention to it. It's not like-"
"Lily read it," Harry said.
"Oh, no," Hermione whispered.
"I-Did she-Did she say anything?" Ron frowned.
"She dreamed she saw me dying," Harry said.
Ron and Hermione gasped.
"Harry, I promise I'll make sure I get Rita penalized for this," Hermione said. "That article was printed information that was absolutely false and-"
"Thanks, but don't, Hermione," Harry told her. "You know her; she'll just come back with a story ten times as worse. You remember back in our fourth year when you challenged her and she made it seem like you were in some sort of a love triangle between me and Krum?"
Hermione nodded. "Well…alright. How is Lily doing, though?"
"She seemed fine this morning," Harry said. "She put pepper in James's cereal for taking her seat at the table and creamed Albus at Gobstones during breakfast."
"She's strong," Ron assured Harry.
"I know," Harry nodded. "I know."