I was home. No, I wasn't in my parent's two-story house in Sheffield, but I knew that I was still home. Around me, the air was thick with fog that smelled like cherry blossoms. It was so dense I couldn't even see my own hand as I groped around to find my way. There was music playing from somewhere, soft and familiar. I walked slowly, unsure of myself, toward the music. I knew I was heading in the right direction when the fog began to thin. There was a woman sitting in a chair with her hands folded on her lap. Across from her sat an empty chair which I decided was meant for me.

I sat down on the chair, and looked at the woman with curiosity. She was rather beautiful, with flowing hair of the palest gold. Her eyes were emeralds full of knowledge, and her smile was warm and open. She studied me as well, with a sense of approval. Finally, she began to talk.

"Oh, Andrella. So long have I dreamt of you joining me, but never did I want it to be this soon," She mused sadly. She spoke like she knew me, and for some reason I thought she might. I searched my memory for her face, but I didn't remember ever seeing her before.

"Join you? Where?" I asked, looking around again at the strange atmosphere of warm fog.

"In the land beyond the living, beyond the dead. The homeland of the Ismerete," she explained, though none of it made sense.

"The Ismerete? What is that?" I was confused. None of that made sense, I never learned about any one named Ismerete.

"Not what, child, but whom. The Ismerete are the knowing. They are a different breed of wizards and witches, beyond the normal. There are no boundaries for the Ismerete, only how far they allow themselves to go" Her voice was barely a whisper. Everything was beginning to fade around the edges. I heard familiar voices in the distance.

"Who are you?" My voice was trembling for a reason unknown to me.

"It seems I was mistaken, my dearest Andrella. Right now it not your time. We will meet again," the strange lady promised as she disappeared from my sight completely. The voices grew louder and louder until finally…

"George, it's been two weeks. You need to get some fresh air. I'm sure she won't mind-" I could hear someone trying to reason with George. I was just barely awake, my eyes still closed.

"Sure she won't mind waking up and finding no one here?" George retorted, his tone sour.

"I'll stay with her so she won't be alone," Renae offered softly.

"No, I want to be here when she wakes up," He sighed.

"You've been spending all your time here, mate. Just watching her and keeping away from everyone. It's becoming unhealthy," Fred tried to reason.

"You don't…you don't understand. I can't leave her. I almost lost her once, and I can't do it again."

There was an awkward silence in the air, and I decided to break it. With great effort, I managed to open my eyes. The very first thing I saw was a head of flaming red hair and a smile bright enough to match the sun. I was engulfed in a hug so powerful, I couldn't breathe. But it felt amazing, being this close to George. I felt so warm and safe.

"Hey there…" I mumbled, not really sure what to say. Everyone was just staring at me in awe, waiting for me to say something. And I all I could think of was 'Hey there'. I really can be socially awkward at times.

"Drella! I can't believe you're finally awake! I thought I lost you, we all did," George beamed, looking happier than I ever remembered seeing him.

"Yeah, AndI. You really scared us there," Fred smiled, giving me a hug as soon as his brother let go.

"I missed you so much, AndI. Our dorm has been really boring without you," Renae joked, hugging me after Fred.

"Has it really been two weeks?" I questioned meekly, trying desperately to figure out how so much time has passed.

"It has. But don't worry about that, how are you feeling?" George was quick to ask, still smiling uncontrollably. His hand gripped mine in a reassuring way.

"Alright, a little out of the loop. What's happened? What did I miss?" I answered honestly.

"All the blood loss you suffered from the attack put you into a temporary comma," Renae explained with a shudder, her face disgusted as she thought about what happened.

"You didn't miss very much. Harry and Ron come to visit you every other day. Separately, of course, seeing as they're still not talking to each other. Hermione and Ginny stopped by a few times. Almost every Gryffindor sixth year came at least once. Even my mum and dad came. They love you more than George and I, you see," Fred informed me. I felt a rush of affection for everyone he mentioned. I couldn't believe so many people came, I didn't think I was that important to them.

"And of course, George barely left your side this entire time. He stops by after every class, after eating, and he sneaks back after visiting hours are over. It's kind of cute, really" Fred teased. George hit his twin, but didn't let my hand go. I smiled at him, my heart beating a little faster knowing that he stayed with me this entire time.

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks.

Before he could respond, Mrs. Pomfrey walked in. " Ah! Miss Wendling! Awake, at last. Why don't you three go alert Professor Dumbledore, he wanted to talk to Andrella once she woke up," George glared at her once she suggested he leave. With a sigh, she adjusted her previous statement. "Fine then, you may stay Mr. Weasley,"

Fred and Renae waved to me as they left. George was smiling once again now that he has permission to stay. I didn't say anything at first, simply because I didn't know what there was to say. I wanted to ask so much, but I didn't ever want to think about that terrible night again. But I knew that I would have to, if I ever wanted it to stop.

"George?" I asked cautiously, not sure how to approach this question.

"Yeah, Drells?" He looked at me curiously.

"What…what happened that night? I can't remember anything but having this really terrible nightmare. Was that real?" My voice was barely a whisper.

"Yes, it was real," George paused, searching for the right words. "Fred and I heard your voice in our heads…asking us to come find you, to help you. We went to Dumbledore and we flew on broomsticks over the Forbidden Forest. When I saw you and that man in the clearing-forgive me, Andrella-but I wasn't thinking clearly. I didn't wait to think of a plan, all I could think of was getting you away from him. He got away, and then I brought you here. You've been comatose since then,"

"Did you find out who it was?" I questioned, his horrible face flashing through my mind. All I could see was him staring at me with such hatred, such hunger. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, trying my hardest to erase his face from my mind. I never wanted to see it again, it was so nauseating to me, such a terrible reminder of something I never wanted to think about again.

"No," George mumbled dejectedly.

"Thank you," I made sure to catch his eye so he could tell I was being sincere.

"For what?"

"For saving me," I replied, and I noticed how we were both leaning in toward each other ever so slightly. But even though he was so close, he was still so far away.

"It was nothing, Drella. I'm just glad you made it. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't. There was so much blood, and I could have swore I felt your heart stop…" He cut himself off, and I noticed his eyes drop for a second.

"But I'm okay. I did make it. And it's all because of you," I knew I was blushing, but I didn't care. It needed to be said. Normally, we don't talk feelings. It's all just good times and laughs, but not right now. I needed to let him know how grateful I was.

"Drella, I have to tell you something. It's been on my mind for two weeks straight now. I really need to tell you before I loose the courage," George took a deep breathe as to prepare himself for whatever it was he was about to say. "I-"

He was cut off immediately by Professor Dumbledore. "Miss Wendling. How wonderful it is to see you awake. Mr. Weasley, a moment please,"

George looked between Dumbledore and myself, but finally he let go of my hand and walked out of the infirmary sulkily.

"I'm delighted to see you awake, Andrella. How are you feeling?" Dumbledore questioned as he took the seat George previously occupied.

"Better, a little tired, though," I answered, wondering why Dumbledore would be here. He didn't normally visit students when they were in the infirmary. He didn't visit me when I broke every bone in my body my third year from a Quidditch accident.

"Good. Now, I have a question for you, Miss Wendling," He paused, as if to contemplate whether he should ask his question or not. "What do you know about the Ismerete?"

"The Ismerete?" I asked, not familiar with the name at first. Then thinking about it, I remembered my strange dream. "H-how did you know?"

"Madam Pomfrey informed me that you've said the name a few times while still asleep," Dumbledore explained. "I need you to tell me everything you remember about them, everything you've ever heard. It's very important,"

I told Dumbledore about the dream, all the while his face grew paler and paler. I started getting nervous, worried. What were the Ismerete? Why was I having dreams about them? I thought it was nothing, but why would Dumbledore ask me questions about a made up thing in my dreams?

"What does that mean? Who are they?" I questioned frantically.

"I'm not going to lie to you Andrella, even though I know I shouldn't be the one to tell you," Dumbledore sighed warily. "Everything you told me is true, and that dream you had wasn't actually a dream. After the attack, after all the trauma, you proceeded into the world beyond the living. For most people, that is the afterworld. But for you, that was the land of the Ismerete. A land that is beyond the living but not for the dead,"

"What does that mean?" I whispered, looking at him in almost fear of what he would say next.

"The Ismerete are a race of wizards that when they have lived on earth for their amount of time, they go to the land of the Ismerete. Once there, they become all knowing. They know the past, present and future of every single person in existence. They monitor earth and interfere only when necessary. From my very limited understanding, it is a very peaceful thing," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Are you saying that I'm one of them? How is that even possible? My mother and father lawyers," I insisted, not processing what he was saying, what it meant.

"As I said Miss Wendling, I'm not the proper person to be telling you this. But in light of recent events, I believe you should be presented with all the information available. Melinda and Donald Wendling, although your legal parents and guardians, are not your birth parents. Your birth parents are currently unknown. However due to all that you've told me, I believe your mother is the woman you saw in your dream. One of the Ismerete," Dumbledore informed me.

"No, that's not possible. They've raised me since I was a little girl, they're my parents," I protested weakly, not able to believe anything he was telling me. He was trying to tell me everything I knew to be my life, was false. I couldn't comprehend it, I didn't want to.

Dumbledore didn't say anything more, he just looked at me with a look of pity. I knew he was telling the truth then, but I still didn't want to believe it. Everything I knew about where I came from was shattered. My mother and father, my grand parents, even my last name. I didn't know any of those anymore. Where I came from, nothing. It was all just guess work based on a dream I had in an unconscious state.

"How long have you known?" I muttered, feeling weaker by the second.

"That you were adopted? Since birth. You were dropped off on the steps of Hogwarts sixteen years ago on October 31. The times were dark then, Voldemort still on the rise. We knew you were magical, or at least came from magical parents if you were left at Hogwarts. We decided that it was best to leave you in the protection of a muggle family. We left you in the care of a Muggle orphanage in London, and watched after you until you were given a home. We watched Melinda and Donald until we were sure you would be safe with them. You got your acceptance letter the year you turned eleven, and you know the rest. We had been watching out for you the entire time, making sure you were alright in your new home for we didn't know the reason you were given to us. We still don't know," said Dumbledore, calmly.

"My parents…I mean Melinda and Donald, they don't know either?"

"I'm afraid not, Andrella," Dumbledore sighed.

"I-I don't know what to think, much less what to say. I don't even know how this is possible. It's like I don't know anything about myself anymore. I just need to know. Can I talk to them? My parents, or at least the people who raised me?" I asked, knowing that the only way I would start to be alright with this (if that was even possible) was to talk to Melinda and Donald. I needed answers and I knew that was the place to start.

"I image that can be arranged," Dumbledore said quietly, with understanding clear in his voice.

"But not for today, I just want to sleep. I can't handle anything else at the moment," I groaned, laying back down, feeling ready to collapse.

"Understandable, Miss Wendling. Would you like me to send Mr. Weasley back in?"

"Yes, please," I nodded my head, knowing that the second I saw George, I would feel better. I'm not saying that everything would be alright once he was here with me, because it wouldn't. I just knew that the only way I would be able to deal with this is with him here with me. I don't think he knows how strong he makes me, just how much he helps me.

I closed my eyes once Dumbledore left the room, feeling exhausted with the weight of all this information thrust upon me. I was almost asleep when I felt a hand grip mine lightly. I didn't open my eyes or say anything, but I felt the corners of my mouth lift up to form a smile. I knew that I'd be able to get through this, as long as I had my friends to rely on.