It's All Inside My Head

The Vision

The next week was... interesting.

Harry was astounded at how quickly Ron seemed to forget the past months. He acted like they were best friends again, never mentioning the time they spent hating each other. Harry for one, found it completely ludicrous, here was this boy sitting next to him on the Weasley's shabby couch, talking to him as though Harry hadn't threatened to kill him in September.

It was easier to control the urge to kill Ron slowly and painfully when it wasn't just the two of them. Usually, the twins would join them with Ginny, who spoke gently and softly to Harry as though he might break at any moment.

The whole 'I was locked in a cell' thing played greatly to Harry's advantages. He had an excuse not to be extremely talkative, and if someone asked him a question that he hadn't planned an answer to, he could just say he didn't want to talk about it and the topic would be dropped immediately.

Almost every night, Harry pretended to have nightmares about seeing into Voldemort's mind. It was all a part of the plan, and Tom was guiding Harry ever step of the way.

Now that Harry knew exactly who it was he was talking to inside his head, it was easier to have conversations late into the night. In a way, the aspect of not being able to see each other also made it less awkward between them. Harry hadn't forgotten that day in the training room, and he knew Tom hadn't either.

It was around twilight on the seventh day he had been at the Burrow and Harry was alone in his room.

"Today is the day Harry."

Harry grinned, "Finally," he said in his head, "I've been going mental."

"Missing Malfoy Manor are we?"

Harry smirked, "No, I'm missing your miserable company."

Harry could imagine the sour look on Tom' face, "You remember your task?"

"How could I forget?" Harry asked sarcastically, "It's the reason I'm here."

"Don't get smart with me Potter, I am solely relying on you to lure the order to the Department of Mysteries tonight."

Harry sighed, "Yeah well, it'd help if you told me how I'll be doing that."

"You are to have a 'vision'."

"A vision?"

"Yes. You are to tell the Weasleys that you have seen me torturing Sirius Black at the Department of Mysteries."

Harry frowned, "But can't they just fire call Sirius to check?"

A brief flash of pain burst through his head as Tom spoke, "The you must be convincing yes?"

"All right, all right," Harry said, wincing.

"Go now, I'll be waiting for you with my Death Eaters."

Harry felt Tom's presence leave his head and he closed his eyes for a moment.

This was it.

The entirety of Tom's plan rested on his shoulders. Tom still hadn't told Harry exactly what the prophesy he wanted was for, but that didn't matter right now. He knew it had to be important.

Harry ran a hand through his hair and got off the bed, walking down the stairs to the living room, where everyone sat, drinking cups of tea. A platter of biscuits lay on the table, and when Harry entered the room, the chatter stopped.

"Uh, hi," Harry said, sitting on the edge of one couch next to Ginny.

Mrs Weasley smiled gently at him, "Hello Harry dear."