Lullaby

Ch 4: Dreams Enchanted

And Harry dreamed . . .

He was walking silently down the long halls of the castle. The sounds of students were muffled under the silence which permeated his consciousness. Stepping into the bathroom he went to the mirror and splashed cold water against his pale face. Green eyes looked at the mirror, haunted memories darkening the irises. He was startled by a sudden movement behind him. Whirling around while pulling out his wand, he saw no one.

He dried his face quickly, only once glancing at the mirror again. Gasping, he dropped his wand at the sight of cold red eyes staring back at him. The figure laughed menacingly and a cold white hand reached through the glass towards him. Harry tripped backwards over his robes, falling on the cold tile floor.

"What frightens you the most, Harry Potter? Is it me or is it yourself? You can be just like me if you tried. Come on, join with me and we will live a long life of power."

"Leave me alone! I can never be like you! I . . . I . . . am not afraid of you anymore. Ari will protect me."

"Ah! That pureblood from the alley protecting you?" he laughed, "Did she ever tell you why? Who she is? Or are you just stupid enough to believe her. I am not the only Dark Lord there is don't you know. Good day, Mr. Potter, you will be mine!"

Ari rushed towards the young man, enfolding him in her arms. Crooning a song, she held the boy. "Golden slumber kiss your eyes, smiles await you when you rise. Sleep, pretty baby, do not cry, and I'll sing you a lullaby. Care you know not, therefore sleep, while I o'er you watch do keep. Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby."

Harry slowly opened his eyes tears crawling down his cheeks. Seeing the woman he had come to know as his savior, he shuddered.

"Harry love, what is it? What happened in your dream?" her voice asked. Her hand was rubbing his back in soothing circles as the other one brushed his forehead.

"I dreamt of Voldemort. He was coming for me," he replied hesitantly.

"Ah sweetheart, he cannot get you here. I will protect you. There is no one to fear as long as you have me."

"Will I always have you though? Who are you really? You told me your name, but not really who you are. Did you know my parents?"

Ari sighed, looking down at his inquisitive eyes which still held a swirl of darkness. "Yes, I knew your parents very well. I also knew the ones by the names of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin very well. Why is this so important to you?"

"How did you know them?" Harry asked, sidestepping the question.

"We were good friends you could say. In school, Lily was well-liked for her intelligence and kind nature whereas James was known for his troublesome pranking with Sirius. I think you knew that, but I greatly admired your father and his group and they allowed me to get to know them very well. Even though I was in . . ." her voice trailed off.

"Even though you were in . . .?"

"I was in Ravenclaw, a year ahead of them. Their group did not really associate much with non-Gryffindor folk, and I was always concentrated on my studies until my 5^th year, where I was paired with Remus in Potions. Let me tell you, I almost had a heart attack after he melted our cauldron and the Potions Master glared at us both. I have never before not finished a potion so I guess you could say, he taught me failure."

Harry grinned tiredly for he could see Remus and her working over a cauldron as it melted. "Why did you take me?"

"Because I had to. No one, especially James and Lily's son, should ever live in conditions like that."
"Was it really a coincidence that brought you to my Uncle's house?"

"Probably not for I do not believe in coincidences."

Harry asked tentatively, "What was that lullaby? I have heard it before but I know my Aunt did not sing it to me."

"It was the one I sang to you the night before Voldemort found you. You see, I was not just a fried of your parents, I was married to . . ." her voice trailed off brokenly.

"You were married, to whom?"

"I was married to a man who had long since forgotten me and has died."

"I can't see anyone forgetting you. Please tell me," he asked pleadingly, his eyes searching her closed expression.

"Padfoot," she whispered.

"Sirius?" he said, shocked. In all of his imaginings, he could never see his godfather married.

"Yes, and now he is gone and I am alone as I have always been. But do not worry," she said upon seeing the guilt which had washed across his features, "it was not your fault. It was his damned cousin. We were never meant to be anyways. He was sent to Azkaban and I retreated here. I never meant to go back to the magical world as myself."

"Are you part of the Order?" he asked.

"I was but no more," she stated.
"Why not? How did you know Sirius died then?"

"I knew because I felt him die, for in the Wizarding world, a marriage is not just a piece of paper but a true bonding of souls if one is in love. When he died, he took a part of me with him."

She sat there, eyes closed. Tears sparkled on her lashes as she tried to control her emotions. Harry reached up a hand and wiped away the offered grief. Looking down, Ari smiled sadly as she saw also the depths of despair he was in.

"Do not worry my love. If I can help, you will never be alone again. I am here for you."

Harry cried, the sobs shaking his shoulders. He cried for his parents, he cried for his godfather, and most of all he cried for himself.

"Let it out my little one," she choked out, tears clogging her throat.

He gripped her tightly to him and they both sat there crying for what they had lost: Ari who had lost her soul mate and friends, and Harry who had lost his family. "I am your family now," she whispered into his crown of unruly hair.

"Thank you for being here for me."

"Always and forever, no matter what happens. I will always be here for you."

They held each other all night. They finally went to sleep exhausted and safe, for the time being.