The sand was warm under Harry Potter's feet, a stark contrast to the salty smell of the air. He was still amazed to find himself here on a deserted island paradise, where the sky was filled with grays and blues, the grains of sand clinging to his feet as the sea whispered his name. The surface of the water shimmered as if it had a soul of its own, inviting him to dive in. Without thinking, Harry moved closer, glimpsing the deep mystery of the ocean stretching away to the horizon.

But as his feet got wet, a shadow rose from the surface of the water, as if the sea had decided to reclaim what was its own.

A cold shiver ran up his spine as he felt movement in the water. He looked down, and his heart stopped. A hand emerged, pale and skeletal, nails sharp as claws, reaching for his calves. Harry jumped, his heart pounding in his chest.

It was the icy touch of a Dementor. A second hand joined the first, followed by another, until he was surrounded by a swarm of creatures, dark and hungry, incapable of pity. A pang of terror shot down his spine, and Harry, his heart pounding like a drum in his throat, broke into a frantic run.

He thought he had finally escaped them but they had come looking for him, eager to take revenge for the affront they had suffered.

The sand, which had once been warm and welcoming, now seemed like a minefield, full of dangers and traps. With his heart in his throat, he headed towards the gate of Marea Mansion, a refuge that he thought was safe. But when he crossed the gate, his hope was shattered in an instant.

The interior was not what he remembered, and his stomach tightened. It was cold and bare, the walls, painted a sordid yellow, marked by screams, echoes of reproaches, a place where love had never set foot.

The smell of frying and contempt permeated the air. Photographs of a seemingly normal and happy family were pinned to the walls, staring at him with pure disgust.

He knew that place all too well…

The Dursleys' house.

He turned to run away but realized with horror that the handle did not move.

A dark shadow loomed at the end of the corridor, and Harry's heart stopped.

A mountain of muscle and rage loomed toward him, his eyes like ice, filled with contempt. His form seemed to grow, filling every corner of the place, and the threats he had once uttered floated in his mind like a macabre chorus.

"Where do you think you're going, freak?"

The voice of that imposing figure was a growl, deep and vibrant while his face was twisted into a grimace of anger, his small, evil eyes shining with a sick fury.

"You think I've forgotten what YOU dared to do to Marge, don't you?!"

The wrinkles on his forehead were dark furrows of hatred, and his eyes gleamed with a fury that promised unspeakable punishment.

Harry turned to run, but the door was sealed, locked by an invisible force.

Every attempt to open it turned into a futile gesture , his fists hitting the smooth surface, desperation growing imminent.

The handle refused to budge, just like his legs, nailed to the floor by paralyzing terror. His heartbeat sounded like a drum and an echo of cruel laughter surrounded him.

" You never left this place. "

With a silent scream, reality shattered, and darkness descended upon him...

..


Harry woke up, drenched in sweat, his breathing labored and his heartbeat pounding against his chest like a caged bird.

He found himself in the bed of Marea Mansion, the room shrouded in darkness, and his body was a fountain of cold sweat. The beat of his heart pounded furiously in his ears, and the echoes of the nightmare still sparkled in his thoughts. He couldn't shake the feeling of still being there.

Luckily, his screams hadn't woken his dear friend Hermione, still asleep in bed across the room.

Even though he didn't know what time it was or how much time had passed, he decided to get up and go make breakfast.

After all, this is the least a freak could do.

He tried to leave the room silently, on tiptoe, he couldn't afford to wake anyone or the punishment would be even more painful.

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Harry jumped like a startled deer, turning around shakily.

It was…Sirius.

He looked even more shabby than when he escaped, his face pale and his wide eyes bloodshot.

Harry couldn't make any sound, any words, as small tears began to form in his eyes.

"Is everything okay?" his godfather urged him.

There was no anger, hatred or disgust in the man's eyes and voice, only genuine concern.

"I…I…" Harry stammered.

Sirius slowly approached and instinctively hugged him tightly. Harry held onto him, closing his eyes as the world around him faded away, leaving only the comfort of the moment.

"I…I was no longer here but I was there! I was there and…and…"

"It was just a nightmare, Harry. No one can hurt you, I'm here." Harry nodded, burying his head in his godfather's chest, fearing that he might disappear at any moment.

"Remember that you are stronger than you think…" Sirius added, stroking Harry's hair gently.

"You're just exhausted, it's not every day you get to use a time-turner and defeat a horde of dementors, am I right?" The boy nodded, slowly pulling away from the hug.

"Sometimes the mind can be scarier than reality but we are here to face it together. After all, you are not alone." He held up his finger and after a few seconds Hermione snored in response. They both chuckled.

"My, your friend is really a heavy sleeper!"

Harry nodded amused and felt a thread of strength return to him.

"Thank you, Sirius."

"Now, try to go back to sleep. I promise I'll be here if you need me."

Harry felt relieved. "Okay, I'll try."

With one last smile, Sirius walked him to his room, closing the door gently.

He waited a few minutes and when he was sure that his godson was sleeping, he took his hand off the doorknob.

"I promise I'll be here if you need me…huh? " echoed a chorus of ghostly voices behind the man.

"Do you want to abandon him too?"

Sirius didn't turn around because he knew what he would see.

He sighed, tired.

"Zeus' sandals, this is going to take more than a bottle of Firewhisky!" he commented sarcastically, walking down the stairs without ever turning his back, despite the incessant mantra of those voices…

" 'Cause we'll hunt you down without mercy,

Hunt you down all nightmare long…"

..

.


AN: New chapter, short but intense! See you next time!