Harry Potter and the Dream Book

Chapter 11: James and Remus

CHAPTER ELEVEN:  JAMES AND REMUS

He was plunging into an empty sky.  The night was dark and the moon was full.  Below him was a silvery pool of black water.  A piercing scream filled his ears.  Any second now, he would hit the water.  Any second now…

Harry’s eyes snapped opened.  He was lying on his back.  The ceiling was familiar, and so were the white bed sheets.  He was in the hospital wing.  The pale light of early morning was beaming through the high windows.

Harry’s mouth filled with a sickening taste as though his stomach had just been turned upside down.  Had it all been a dream?  Perhaps he had never left the hospital wing after that night in the graveyard.  Perhaps he had imagined it all: his parents, Neville being selected as Hogwarts’ champion, Neville’s sister, Neville’s lightening scar, Neville’s parents laughing, Ron and Hermione holding hands, Sirius looking dashing in a long black coat, Ginny coming down the stairs in a forest green dress…

“Good morning, sleepy head,” said a woman’s voice.

He felt the soft hand of Lily Potter slip into his.  She was alive, his mom, and she was beaming down at him with that familiar smile that he loved.  She bent down and gave him a hug.  Harry took a deep breath.  He was still back in time.  It was real.  The words he had read a few months ago had said: “Turn back time.  Live one year exactly as you wish it.”  His mother holding him as she was doing so now, that was what he had wished for.  But the attack of a werewolf, the Dragon Fever, the burning forehead; he was sure that they had not been part of his wish.  Something was not right.    

“How long was I out?” he asked as Lily Potter was smoothening his hair and looking into his eyes with motherly concern.

“A couple of hours,” she answered vaguely.  “Dawn is breaking.  It must be around five in the morning.”

Harry forced his mind to remember the events of the previous night.  The Yule Ball had been the best party he had ever lived, and then the rest of the evening had been darkness, snow, broken glass and screams.

“How’s Nev?” he asked urgently.  “How’s Eleanor?  And Ginny?  Are they alright?”

“They’re all fine,” replied his mother.  There was pride in her tone.  She was fussing around the bed now, straightening the sheets, pouring him a glass of water.  “You were very brave, Harry.  Nev and Eleanor were lucky to have you.”

She came back to sit at the foot of his bed.  The early sun beams coming through the high windows were reflecting on her hair.

“Ginny found James and Sirius like you asked her,” she continued.  “They were not far but with the music they didn’t hear the yelling or anything.  They were patrolling near the Black Lake where the Durmstrang ship is anchored.  They saw the red sparks and Ginny running towards them, but when they got there, you had already taken care of the werewolf.”

She was looking straight at him with a very fond expression, full of pride and motherly love.  Harry felt himself blush slightly.

“You saved Nev and his sister, Harry.  McGonnagal gave sixty points to Gryffindor for your outstanding courage in the face of danger.  I had never thought… my son…”

Her voice trailed off.  Her eyes were filled with tears.  She came closer and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

“Now no one can say anymore that you don’t belong in Gryffindor,” she said softly to his ear.

“Who says that I don’t belong in Gryffindor?” he asked, cutting her off.

He was getting very uncomfortable.  No one had ever looked at him with such pride and deep fondness as his mother was doing so now.  Somehow, however, he didn’t feel like he deserved that much praise.  It was very possible that the werewolf, Lupin, had been on Hogwarts ground because of him.  What was Lupin doing at Hogwarts, anyway?