Having just finished reading The Sandman it was very difficult not to turn this chapter into something very odd. I restrained myself, just.

Chapter 19: Fifth Year: Dreams

There was something different about the corridor this time. As Harry moved towards the black door at the end he tried to work out what it was, but by the simple nature of dreams details flittered out of his grasp.

The door grew closer and Harry felt the longing to see what was on the other side swell in his chest. Something moved in the shadows at the corner of his eye. Harry's head turned and through the dim light he could see a giant seated on a stool a few feet from the door. The giant's face seemed familiar, though it was relaxed in sleep.

Harry moved closer, in the manner of dreams he knew that the giant posed him no true threat, but the desire to removed him was strong. This giant was guarding the door, preventing him from getting inside and retrieving what it was he wanted.

The giant stirred as Harry drew closer. Something twitched in the back of his mind, but the thought drifted aside before he could grasp it. Then, just as Harry was readying himself for the attack, the giant opened his eyes and looked down.

It was Mr. Weasley. The shock of sudden recognition allowed a sudden level of understanding to body slam into Harry's mind. Mr. Weasley wasn't a giant, Harry was small and he wasn't Harry. He had no limbs, only a long body made of powerful coiling muscles.

As Harry stared up at Mr. Weasley the older man's face became shocked. He grabbed for his wand, but Harry was faster.

He lunged, opening his mouth and sinking his teeth into Mr. Weasley's leg. He drew back and lunged again as Ron's dad gave an echoing cry of pain and fell backwards into his chair. The snake-who-was-Harry lunged again and again. Harry could feel the flesh against his teeth, the coppery taste of blood on his tongue and Mr. Weasley's screams began to die down.

Harry struggled against whatever it was that was holding him in the mind of this snake. He had to get help for Mr. Weasley. Harry screamed inside his own mind, as delight which was both his and not his fought to suck him in. Help...someone help. Harry tried to yell to make any sound at all that wasn't a hiss. He took another breath and tried again, desperate for someone to hear him. "HELP."

Merlin sat up in bed gasping for air, the echoing call still ringing in his mind.

"Harry." He whispered. Swinging his legs over the side of his bed Merlin threw on his clothes. Something was very wrong. For Harry to shout loud enough for Merlin to hear him from the other side of the castle something terrible had to be happening.

Shoving his feet into his boots Merlin hopped to the door and then stretched out into a run. Only after he had careened down three corridors did he realise he had no idea where to go. If whatever had caused Harry to call out with enough power to wake Merlin was still there then surely he would be able to sense it. Merlin slowed to a walk and half closed his eyes in concentration. There was so much magic around Hogwarts that it was impossible to tell if anything threatening was in the Gryffindor tower. Tossing that thought aside Merlin searched for Harry. Touching the young wizards mind in query only resulted in a sort of half spasm of confusion, but through it all Merlin managed to get the general idea that Harry was being taken to Dumbledore's office.

Merlin broke back into a run. If Harry was going to Dumbledore then so was he.

Harry stood in the centre of Dumbledore's office and tried to explain his dream. He didn't want to tell anyone that he had been the snake, and it didn't matter anyway. All that mattered was that someone went to help Mr. Weasley before it was too late.

"Then the snake attacked Mr. Weasley. Please Professor you have to believe me, Mr. Weasley is hurt you have to do something." Harry begged.

Dumbledore remained silent for a moment, pressing his fingertips together against his lips.

Harry tried again. "Please sir."

Dumbledore's eye flickered up to meet Harry's and he gave him a faint, tight smile. "I believe you Harry of course, but..." The door to Dumbledore office smashed open. Two of the delicate silver instruments dropped to the floor and shattered.

Merlin had obviously dressed in a hurry. His shirt was on backwards and his hair was standing on end. "What's happened?" He asked, glancing between Harry, Dumbledore and the shell-shocked Weasley's.

Dumbledore levelled a look at him over his half-moon glasses. "Harry has had a dream that Arthur Weasley has been attacked by a snake." He glanced at the portrait to the right of his desk and the figure in it stood up straighter. "Arthur is in trouble, ensure he is found by the right person." Dumbledore said sternly. The painted wizard nodded seriously and hurriedly vanished from his frame. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, something was being done, Mr. Weasley was going to be alright.

Dumbledore had turned his attention to Merlin. "I am curious as to how you were aware that there was a problem."

There was none of Merlin's characteristic cheerfulness in his face now. "Are you kidding, I could hear Harry yelling from my room."

Everyone stopped and looked at him. "What?"

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm not sure this is really the time for this, I think we need to make sure Mr. Weasley is alright. Why is he in trouble anyway?"

All heads in the room twisted as one towards Dumbledore. The old man sighed and settled down into his chair. "Very well, while we await news on Arthur I will explain." He turned his gaze to Harry, almost sadly. "As you have been told there is a prophecy concerning you and Lord Voldemort, Harry. However while we know the contents of that prophecy, Voldemort knows only half, and he is desperate to learn the rest."

"What's that got to do with dad?" Ron demanded.

"The Order have been taking turns guarding the prophecy, it is vital that Voldemort not learn the complete contents." Dumbledore looked over to Merlin who was in the process of turning his shirt the right way around. "I would assume this is an attempt of Voldemort's to get past our defences."

Harry gave himself a moment to sort through all that, but before he could ask any further questions, Fawkes gave a soft heart wrenching cry. The headmaster looked over at the phoenix with concern. "It appears Professor Umbridge has become aware of the students out of bed. Minerva if you would please head her off."

McGonagall got quickly to her feet, but Merlin was faster. "Leave Umbridge to me. Ron, I'm sure your dad will be fine." The sorcerer gave the Weasley's a warm smile before he hurried out, pausing only to borrow one of the simple black cloaks which hung from a coat rack in the corner.

Merlin's exit left them with a long moment of silence. Harry looked at Ron, but he could barely maintain eye contact with his friend for more than a few moments. The look of lost pain on his face was almost too much for the guilt in Harry's heart. Finally the portrait man reappeared. "Arthur's been found, it was touch and go for a while there, but they think he'll be alright."

It was as though all of a sudden someone had removed everything that had been holding them up. Harry sunk onto the edge of one of Dumbledore's tables, while the Weasley's collapsed into each other. For a few minutes everyone just revelled in the fact that Mr. Weasley was alive.

That feeling of relief couldn't last. There were too many questions, too many things wrong that Harry couldn't leave alone.

"Professor." Harry was startled to find his voice shook so he cleared his throat to try again. "Sir, please. Why did I...I mean, what's wrong with me." He forced himself to maintain eye contact with Dumbledore so he wouldn't be tempted to look at the Weasley's. He didn't want to know what they thought about him.

Dumbledore tilted his head and studied Harry over his half-moon glasses. "Harry there are a great many questions which have been raised by tonight's events." Dumbledore paused here and sighed. "I have told you before Harry, that there is a link between yourself and Voldemort. For now I can offer you little more. It would be best now if you accompanied your friends to Grimmauld Place to await further information about Arthur. When Merlin returns we will discuss what you have seen. Perhaps between us we will be able to come up with an answer which will satisfy you."

Harry stared at Dumbledore for a moment longer and then he nodded. The Headmaster drew an empty bottle from one of his draws and tapped it with his wand. "This will take you to Grimmauld Place." He said holding it out for them.

The Weasley's laid a finger each on the smooth glass, like Harry they seemed to be in a daze.

Harry, however, now had one note of clarity. He was getting an answer, because even if Dumbledore kept something out of his explanation Merlin wouldn't.

Merlin hurried back through the corridors weaving his way on the most direct route to Umbridge's rooms. If she knew someone was out of bed and with Dumbledore then she wouldn't waste any time on the scenic route.

A ball of blue-grey light illuminated his way, the portraits making irritable comments about him waking them. Merlin rolled his eyes and tried to listen over their complaints for the sound of approaching footsteps.

The clipping sound of hard soled shoes made Merlin pause. The owner of the shoes was in a hurry, despite short legs.

Smiling to himself and flipping his borrowed cloak around his shoulders, Merlin ducked into the shadows of a nearby suit of armour and waited.

The clicking drew closer and the shadows began to dance. Merlin tensed, he had to wait for just the right moment.

Merlin ducked across the corridor and down a side passage. "Stop, you there." Umbridge shrilled, her wand bursting into brighter light. Merlin didn't pause. Instead he moved into a smooth jog, just fast enough that Umbridge had to nearly run to keep up.

He led the irritating woman a merry chase through the castle corridors. In his soft boots Merlin was almost silent so he had to keep letting Umbridge gain on him while he feigned indecision about his directions.

Twice Umbridge tried to hex him into stillness. More through luck than skill, Merlin suspected, both missed.

After an amusing half an hour Merlin put on a burst of speed and ducked into an unused classroom extinguishing his light. The clicking of Umbridge's shoes and her furious mutterings passed him by. Merlin lent back into the wall to catch his breath. Dumbledore would have sent Harry and the Weasley's either out of the school of back to bed by now.

Merlin peeked out of the door down the pitch dark corridors. There was no sign of Umbridge so he slipped out and headed back to his room. As he made his way through the corridors, Merlin rubbed his temple. His head still throbbed with the force of Harry's cry. In the morning he would talk to Dumbledore, something needed to be done about this.

Once again I'm afraid that the next chapter may be some time. While my exams are now over (HOORAY) I've got a lot of life things to catch up on, including job hunting.

Hopefully it won't be more than a two week break though. I think I'm finally getting back into the swing of things.