The Tree of Blacks (English version)

Somnia Videns

And the proof which left no room for doubt was the appearance of Alya's Patronus. She had seen it clearly and she had recognised it immediately. The silver stag which James had seen galloping towards him was, unmistakably, the Patronus that the girl had thrown to tranquilise the wounded animal.

Alya's heart leapt, as if she had just done a somersault. The girl realised she had dreamt something real. Something that had really happened.

Alya sighed in confusion, fighting against her own scepticism: how was it possible to dream something real, something that belonged to the real world?

It hadn't been a premonition, since the dream had shown her an event from the past, albeit a very recent one, in which she herself had taken part. It didn't reveal any information about the future.

The girl couldn't recall ever having encountered anything on such a subject during her Divination lessons.

Alya fiddled with Potter's postcard, looking at it with a confused air. Of one thing, however, she was certain: on that night of the full moon, Alya had not given succour to just any stag. Under the disguise of an animal was the best friend of her twin brother, whom she had always despised, considering him a shallow boy and a cheap arrogant.

But judging from what she had seen, perhaps Alya had been mistaken in her judgement of James Potter.... at least in part.

Alya shook her head vigorously, as if immediately wanting to banish that sudden positive inclination towards the young Gryffindor. Her dilemmas certainly weren't about that blowhard James Potter, nor were they about the boy's dying regrets.

However, thanks to that strange dream vision, the young Black had discovered a power of her mind, which she had always ignored, and which appeared completely unknown to her.

During Divination lessons, Professor Ghalil had broached the subject of premonitions through dreams, but he spoke of deciphering and interpreting simple archetypal symbols. Never had the wise teacher mentioned the possibility of observing reality clearly while asleep. And, from what Alya recalled of her studies, not even the textbooks used at school described such phenomena.

Staring blankly up at the ceiling above her, Alya pondered for a long time on a particular thought that was nagging at her: it had probably happened to her at other times in her life to observe real events in her dreams. Of course, it was impossible for her to sift through every memory of her childhood, searching for possible visions. However, a shadow of a suspicion lingered in Alya's mind.

Suddenly, a knocking at the door brought the girl back to reality.

Kreacher reminded her in a croaky voice, from behind the door, of her duty to get up and get ready for breakfast, which was now ready.

Alya heard the old elf walking away from her room, pawing in the direction of Regulus' room.

The girl slipped out of bed and made her way down to the kitchen; given the recent events that had involved her family, abiding by the strict rules of House Black had become even more imperative for her and Regulus.

But that could not distract Alya from her doubts.

For the whole day, the girl did nothing but silently wonder about the dream she had that night and the possible new power she had just discovered. More than once, Regulus caught her totally absorbed in her thoughts. Even the austere parents noticed their daughter's momentary absence, but fortunately none of the three seemed to give much thought to the distraction shown by Alya.

Each of them had much else to think about: Mr. Black had decided to spend all his days attending the various circles of full-blooded wizards, of the high magical society, with the sole purpose of stemming, as far as possible, the rumours that were inevitably spreading, regarding the escape of the first-born son of the upright Orion and Walburga. A real scandal, not to mention that it was already the second time, and only a few years later, that a descendant of the noble House of Black turned out to be a traitor to blood and family.