Alexandra Potter
Chapter Eleven: Firsts and Lasts
Scene 3/6
Alex joined Astrid in the library the day after her first foray into Somniamancy. The place was deserted, but they sat at Astrid's secluded table nonetheless.
"... and then it stamped on the floor and the dream ended," said Alex. She had told Astrid all about her dream - everything except what she saw inside Peaks. That was between her and Peaks.
"Mmm," said Astrid, not even looking up from her own book - a paperback, glossy and new. Wandless, it was called. Alex had heard of it. The story of a Squib passing himself off as a wizard and infiltrating the Ministry of Magic, the Hogsmeade Herald called it "this Christmas' must-read". The author was anonymous, and some wondered at how fictional it was.
While it sounded interesting, Alex had more important things to consider.
"Do you think it was the gargoyle that made me wake up?" she said, thinking aloud.
Violet eyes peeked over the top of the book. "What does it matter?" Astrid said. She returned to reading.
"Well," said Alex, fiddling with her hair, "maybe I woke up naturally, before the gargoyle could attack me properly."
"Why're you asking me?" She hadn't even stopped reading, that time.
"Well, I got the book off you," said Alex.
"Yeah - before I'd read it," said Astrid. "And it's not my book - I just found it lying around, and thought it looked interesting."
"Oh," said Alex. The book didn't have the Hogwarts Library stamp in it, so she'd thought it was Astrid's. "Where'd you find it?"
"Unsorted section, behind one of the shelves."
Alex hadn't really looked at the unsorted section. She always used the library to look for specific books, either recommended by teachers or mentioned in other books. She very rarely just browsed. "Can you show me?" she said, and Astrid slammed her book down.
"I'm reading. Please shut up. Read your own damn book."
Alex rolled her eyes. Astrid was always like that. But there was something very harmless about it all. In fact, it was almost comforting - the common garden variety of dislike Astrid offered was tame compared to the looks of betrayal Susan still sent her way. Draco saw it differently, but she wasn't Draco.
She opened the Somniamancy book.
… there are a variety of techniques which can be used to block somniamancy. Distance and secrecy are the most mundane: if a wandering dreamer cannot reach or find you, they cannot invade your sleeping mind. Some security spells may also block dreamers, even if it is not their central intent. This will be especially true of Ideal Wards, which naturally focus less on the physical. An unsubtle but effective method is direct confrontation. A practicing dreamer has an unnatural level of awareness in their sleep. They will often be aware of any invaders, and once aware they can confront their adversary, and eject them from the dream by killing their dream body.
Alex shuddered, remembering how real Peaks' dream had felt. She didn't know any spells that could kill a person - not even close. If she caught someone in her dreams and wanted to eject them, she'd have to fight them physically. Thank god this book was lost. She doubted anyone else in Hogwarts had ever read it, stuck down the side of a shelf as it had been.
An alternative to confrontation is to force oneself to wake. This can sometimes be difficult, and requires practice. However, it is most effective - only a sleeping person's mind can be entered with somniamancy. Still, it has the drawback of needing to be aware that one's mind is being attacked, which is not guaranteed. A skilled dreamer may be able to evade detection. As such, the truly paranoid may wish for a more certain means of defence.
A digression: for many years rumours have persisted, in certain circles, of the existence of a branch of magic concerned with mental defence. This discipline is rumoured to be able to defend from not just somniamancy, but also legilimency, veritic sorcery and the effects of Dementors. Some even claim it capable of repelling the I-- curse. Needless to say, this author searched for signs of such magic for many decades, and found none. It is without a doubt a myth.
Let us place ourselves back on the firm ground of fact. If one truly wishes to block all attempts at invasion by foreign dreamers, a dreamcatcher is required. This is a complex magical artefact which, when placed over a sleeper's bed, prevents all access to dreams. There is no countering one, or getting around it. The only way to bypass a dreamcatcher is to destroy it in the physical world, or to catch a practicing dreamer as they wander beyond their own mind. In the next chapter we shall cover the specific process by which a dreamcatcher may be made. First, however, it is helpful to offer an overview of a dreamcatcher's function, so as to orient ourselves...
Alex flicked ahead, frowning. Was the gargoyle a dreamcatcher? A sentence caught her eye. While it is theoretically possible for a dreamcatcher to record the identity of the would-be invader, the method for achieving this continues to elude this author. Alex breathed a sigh of relief: she'd been waiting all day for a summons to the Headmaster's office, to answer questions about last night. But it seemed that she would get away with it.
A dreamcatcher is like a lock on the door of the mind: it blocks all entry. A dreamer, when they encounter such a mind, will be forced to move on.
That didn't sound like the Gargoyle at all, Alex thought. It hadn't just blocked her, it had ripped her dream apart and sent her hurling back awake. Which meant that gargoyle was something else. Something more. Had Dumbledore enchanted it himself?
"I'm so screwed," she muttered.
"Regretting your midnight stroll?" said Astrid, looking up. "Honestly, what did you expect? You might be the Girl Who Lived, but this is Dumbledore. He could chew you up and spit you out before breakfast."
"I know that," said Alex, feeling rather stupid. She hated it when people thought she was stupid, and she hated it twice as much when they were right. "But everything was going so well. All I need now is where Slytherin is... I don't suppose you know?"
"Why don't you ask your boyfriend?"
"I did. I should get his reply tomorrow."
"Well then," said Astrid, making a show of returning to her book, "looks like you don't need my help."
Alex's eyes narrowed. "Do you know where they are?"
Astrid didn't reply.
"I think they're somewhere near the dungeons," said Alex, watching Astrid for any sign that she might be right. "The Slytherins always head out towards the faculty tower, but I don't think they're in there. And the entrance to the dungeons is right next to it. Am I right?"
Astrid just smirked at her.
"Tell me!" said Alex, louder than she ever would during term. One of the Hufflepuff prefects had told her she used a supersensory Charm.
"And if you find the Slytherin common rooms, what then?" said Astrid. "You'll send Daphne a few bad dreams?"
"Well, yeah," said Alex. Now she puts it like that, it does sound a bit lame.
"And I suppose you'll be taking credit for these dreams, so that everyone knows you got your own back?"
"That's the idea," said Alex, thinking she could see where Astrid was going, "but of course I'll do it in a way that she can't tell a teacher about."
"And then what?"
Alex frowned. "Then we're even."
"And you think Daphne will be happy at leaving things even?"
Ah. Alex understood. "She'll want to get me back," she said, thinking back to what Remus Lupin had said. He told her to abandon everything with Daphne. To roll over, to forgive and forget. To end what would otherwise become an endless cycle of fighting. But he'd said something else too. Something about her father. "Unless I get her in a way that finished it forever."
Astrid smiled. "Exactly," she said, leaning forward. "If you want to end this, and end it so you win forever, you need something that'll make her give up for good. Like you did with Granger."
"That wasn't-" Alex began, but she decided against it. Though she'd never intended things to go as far as they did, it couldn't be denied that she'd beat Hermione. There would never be a question, now, of who was the better witch.
"Dreams aren't enough," Astrid continued, "not even really bad ones. Dreams are just dreams. Afterwards, you wake up."
Dear Alex,
Happy Birthday to me! Just had breakfast with Mother and Father. Will be opening my presents just before lunch, and after Mademoiselle Tremblay will come to fit the robes for the ball.
Just wanted to send a note now, while I had time. You probably won't hear from me again until Christmas!
Draco
P.S: If you want to know where Slytherin is, you'll have to tell me what you're planning first.