The Heirs of Dreams

Chapter Four

"Good night," she said as she watched him leave.

"Je vous adore," he said before he slipped through the window.

He sat there, waiting for her to reply. She looked at him and smiled, "Good night."

He nodded his head, wounded as he slipped from the window and left her. She turned back to the mirror and looked admirably at the snake charm.

"Happy Birthday, Zorina," she whispered to herself as she tore her eyes from the image and climbed back into bed.

**

Harry tossed and turned most of night, trying his hardest to sleep and at the same time avoiding it as much as possible. Sleeping and especially dreaming hadn't exactly been the most peaceful and calming experience of his recent days. He had been plagued with the same dream of running down the marble halls of Voldemort's castle with blood oozing down a wound in his arm.

He opened his eyes finally when the sun was pouring through the orange curtained windows in Ron's room. He could faintly hear the gentle snoring of his best friend at his side. Harry lie for a moment. He did not smell warm bacon from the kitchen or sense movement anywhere in the house. It was so odd for Harry to find the Burrow completely silent. He wondered if it were only because Mrs. Weasley was so insistent on the house being quiet with Zora needing her rest. Zora...there was something he was remembering now...Zora...what was it? Something important...it was on the edge of his brain, was he supposed to get something for her? Had he agreed to help her with something? No...but there was some reason he wanted to go to Diagon Alley...his film. That was it! What did Zora have to do with his film?

After a few moments of confusion, Harry shook the thoughts out of his head and replaced it on his pillow. He slowly closed his eyes and waited for the smell of breakfast to arouse him from bed. He felt himself slipping from the orange walls and white shinning marble rise up around him. He was pulled from the bed, his blankets and pajamas fading into jeans and wrinkled shirt. He was forced to make the run. His arm was burning from pain now as he ran.

"But they're safe! They aren't here! This isn't real!" he shouted as he ran against his will, his chest burning with exhaustion.

"You'll never learn, will you?" Draco's voice was echoing in his head.

"Learn what?" Harry asked desperately once he reached the familiar junction, "I'm getting a little tired of these games."

"Is that what you think this is?" Draco's lean form materialized as some sort of reflection in one of the marble walls. "A game?"

"What else is this? Why are you messing with my dreams?" Harry asked crossly as he walked to the reflection.

"I'm not...this isn't messing around or some game," Draco smiled.

Harry watched as the thin boy emerged from the white marble wall. His hair nearly matched the color of the gleaming marble and his skin seemed just as pale, as if he were made from the stone himself. At any other time, Harry would have been intrigued by the image in his mind, but he was beyond intrigue...he was angry.

"It's really too bad that you're not ready...I was counting on you to get us out," Draco persisted with his superior tone.

He raised his hand and examined his manicured nails with a sigh of some sort of boredom.

"Ready for what?" Harry asked, more annoyed than ever at Draco's habits/

"Not even I know the answer for that," Draco chuckled as he folded his arms and leaned against the marble wall. "You still think it's a dream...stupidity, Potter...pure and simple."

"You're not making any sense!" Harry shouted as he clenched violently at the black hairs on the sides of his heads.

All Draco did was stand and smile. That same superior smirk he had worn after every joke and snide remark since their first year of Hogwarts. It was too much. Harry smoothly walked over and threw the hardest punch he could at Draco's smirk. The face turned to a cold vapor as his hand made contact and flew into the marble wall.

"Harry?!" rang in Harry's head.

"What?" he popped up.

Ron was standing over him with a worried expression on his face, "You all right, Harry?"

"Yeah...I think so...bad dream," Harry said as he scratched his uncombed head, surprised to find it soaked with sweat.

"Well...it's almost noon, if we wanna talk mum into letting us go to Diagon Alley, we'd better hurry."

Harry nodded his head, noticing the time change from what seemed to be just moments in his head. He threw the covers off his legs and made his way to get dressed, noticing a dull throb in his hand as he did so. He pushed the coincidence from his mind as he fumbled into his clothes.

"Hey, sleepy head," the familiar musical voice called as Harry entered the kitchen.

Zora sat between Ginny and Mrs. Weasley as she sipped from a glass of orange juice as she smiled at him.

"Look who's talking," he smiled as he sat in his chair next to Ron.

Zora gave a soft chuckle before she began to shove spoonfuls of mashed potatoes into her mouth.

"After such a tiring night, it's no wonder Harry slept in," Mrs. Weasley commented kindly from the head of the table.

"Say, mum...er...Harry and I were wondering if it'd be all right for us to go to Diagon Alley this afternoon," Ron said rather quietly form his seat.

"Well...I don't know," Mrs. Weasley said as she eyed the girl to her right and back to her son.

"Well, Harry needs to drop off his film from his camera that he can't develop in the Muggle stores...plus he hasn't seen the twins for a while and they really want to see him," Ron said in one breath with a dignified beg mixed into his tone.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Mrs. Weasley said with a final tone, her eyes floating to the black haired girl on her right.

Although Harry was sure he didn't mean it, Ron immediately turned his eyes to Zora and gave her a rude glare. He settled his eyes and dug into his lunch. Harry too lowered his head and half heartedly ate his meal.

"Ugh," Zora moaned from across the table a few moments later.

"Something the matter, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked from her side, stretching a comforting hand on Zora's shoulder.

"No, no," Zora commented, as she weakly brushed the hand away, "I think I just need to lie down."

Zora weakly rose from her seat and walked to her room, a hand on her forehead as she disappeared up the stairs.

"Harry, go and make sure she's all right," Mrs. Weasley suggested with deep worry in her eyes.

Harry nodded his head and stood from his chair with a squeak. He noticed Ron was looking after the door, guilt imprinted on his face, and Ginny watching him as he moved. Probably just wondering if Zora was all right, Harry thought as he exited the kitchen. He quietly moved up the stairs, careful not to make to much noise and disturb Zora's rest.

Harry placed his hand on the knob and turned it but stopped himself. "It's not Percy's room...it's Zora's," he reminded himself. He let go of the knob and knocked quietly then waited for a response.

"Come in," the weak voice called from the other side.

Harry then opened the door and stepped inside. Zora was lying on the bed with her hands crossed over her chest forming and "X".

"Careful...I'm dead," she smiled.

"You're not really sick, are you?" Harry asked with a chuckle of relief as he sat at the foot of her bed.

"Course not...potions are still working their miracles," Zora said as she propped herself on her elbows. "Just tell Mrs. Weasley I need some chocolate...it does something with dark spells, don't know what but it's a good thing. She never keeps chocolate in the house, so you'll have to go get some."

"...From Diagon Alley," Harry smiled.

"You'll have about two hours there...use them wisely...get me a nice gift," Zora smiled.

BIRTHDAY!!!! It was Zora's birthday! That's why he wanted to go to Diagon Alley.

"Already got you one," he lied remembering that she could no longer see if he were telling the truth or not.

"I knew you wouldn't forget," she said as she eyed him. Or was it just his imagination? Or was it?

"Well," he replied nervously, "better get downstairs and tell Mrs. Weasley how horribly you're doing."

Harry trotted down the stairs as he tried his best to control his smile. He reached the kitchen and put on the best concerned face he could muster.

"She says she needs chocolate...something about dark tendencies or something," Harry said with a worried expression.

"I thought that would help so I picked some up last week, Ginny, dear, would you get-."

"No!" Harry replied desperately. "She...she needs dark chocolate...really dark...chocolate."

"Well...I don't think we have any...maybe the twins will, they own a candy factory for a reason..."

"Maybe Ron and I should go pick some up," Harry said helpfully.

"Of course...Ginny and I will stay here and set up for Zora's party, didn't want to say anything about it in front of her...poor thing, never had a party in her life," Mrs. Weasley commented mournfully.

She walked over the one of the cupboards and removed a piece of parchment from it.

"Here's a list of some things we need, be a dear and pick them up...Ron you know where my purse is. Hurry back, before she wakes up, poor thing," Mrs. Weasley said with a final sad shaking of her head.

Ron nodded his head dutifully and walked out of the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley began to clear the table, the dishes clattering together in here hands. Ginny rose and began to help her, catching Harry's eye as she stood. She looked motherly for a moment and gave Harry and expression of concern. Harry almost laughed, but was careful not to make a sound with Mrs. Weasley still in the room. Instead, he smiled and shook his head. He gave a final wink to Ginny and left the room to retrieve his schoolbag.

**

"So she was faking?" Ron asked as they walked down the street filled with witches and wizards clad in variously colored robes. The street was a great deal less busy since it was not the beginning of the school year, but it was still filled to a surprising amount.

"Yeah, but I get the feeling she's just using us to get herself some chocolate," Harry replied with a smile as they swerved through the crowd of wizards.

"I don't care...she got us out of the house," Ron replied with a smile.

He turned into the doorway of a narrow building with a shabby exterior. At first Harry thought the shop was abandoned until he saw the tiny wooden sign with "Weasley's Whizzing Wheezes" painted in red outside the front door.

"Not much to look at," Ron admitted as he opened the door, a magical bell rang the death march as it opened and closed, "but they own it...for the year at least."

"Do they do all right?" Harry asked as he looked around the shop.

"Most owl ordering, but yeah...they do all right," Ron commented as he looked around the shop.

There were five different tables and the walls were lined with shelves. Every inch of free space was taken up by joke wands, magical candies, Head Hiding Hats, and a few more new items Harry didn't recognize right away.

"Need any help...Harry!" George said with a smile as he stepped from the back room. "Mum just owled you two were coming over...sorry, we don't have any normal dark chocolate...only some that will turn her teeth black. Don't think she wants that for her big party."

"It's fine, we'll just go somewhere else," Ron assured him.

"Try over at Florean Fortesque's, they'll probably have some...oh yeah, Fred wants me to tell you...to tell Zora...that he's stopping by the house later on, why he can't just owl her, I'll never know."

"He's still hung up on her then?" Ron asked as he picked up one of the fake wands on the nearest table and examined it.

"Yeah...hasn't stopped, I swear...he acts like he's in...the 'L' word," George added in a hushed voice.

"You mean 'Love'?" Harry asked curiously.

"Harry...so long as I own this store, the words 'love', 'marriage', and 'commitment' shall never be mentioned...especially when involving a relation of mine."

"Sorry, won't happen again," Harry laughed.

"Well...we'd better get going," Ron said rather quickly as he put the wand back on the table, "mum needs us to pick up a few things before we go home."

"Oh...yeah, pick up a few things. Ronney-poo, do tell Hermione 'hello' for me when you see her," George smiled as Ron walked to the doorway.

"At least I have a girlfriend...seems you're the only one in the family without," Ron said as his ears turned crimson.

"The only one with any sanity as well!" George called after them as they left the shop.

Ron's ears turned back to a somewhat normal color as they continued down the street.

"Is Hermione here?" Harry inquired as they walked.

"Yeah, she got a job at Flourish & Blott's, she works in the afternoon and at night straightening the shelves and stuff."

"So, I guess that means you don't really get to see her that much," Harry smiled.

"No, not really," he replied with a depressed sigh.

"So, I know why you wanted to come here...give me the list and the money, I'll meet you at Flourish & Blott's in an hour, all right?"

"Really?" Ron smiled brightly.

He began to frantically dig through his pockets and shoved the contents into Harry's hands, including a few random items Harry had no desire to be holding in his hands.

"You're a real pal, Harry," he smiled.

"No, you just owe me big," Harry smiled as he discarded a few empty candy wrappers and a half eaten chocolate frog.

Ron darted down the street until he was nothing but a red blur.

Harry let a sigh and crossed the street, heading down the list of many things needed for Zora's birthday party.

With many bags in his arms, Harry made the journey back to the bookstore. He made just a quick stop, which turned into several minutes, at the Quidditch supply store on the way. He was admiring the latest broomstick model in the display window when Harry noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye in the reflection. He looked closer and saw an all too familiar face.

"Got your arms full, scar head," Draco sneered behind him.

"What's it to you, Malfoy?" Harry said as he slowly turned.

"Nothing really...too bad I'm not invited to the party," Draco replied with a fake hurt sigh.

"What party?" Harry said what he soon realized was too quickly for it to be believable.

"The one you and the Weasels are giving Zora...tell her I said hello by the way," he added with a distasteful smile.

"I will when I see her on the train at the start of term," Harry said with his most convincing face.

"Really...then, I wonder whose bedroom it was I was in last night," Draco smirked.

The smirk triggered Harry's memory, he half expected Draco to start spouting more confusing language as in his dreams. Harry probably would've preferred it to this...this talk was making too much sense.

"You know...second landing over looking a sad excuse for a garden? Rocking chair in the corner and quite a squeaky bed?"

Harry just stood, not knowing what to say. He was racking his brain for some defense, some explanation, anything. He almost started to say "My dog has three legs" just to stop Draco from continuing his rampage. But instead...Harry just stood.

"You tell her 'hello' for me," Draco smiled and walked away.

Harry too walked off towards the bookstore. He tried his hardest to keep his happiest demeanor around Hermione and ignored Ron's distressing deadly glares as he forced him to return to the Burrow.

**

Severus walked reluctantly down the stone staircase. He looked about the room admirably for just a moment until his gaze fell upon Lara. She was smiling her graceful and bright smile and gently rocking a baby in her arms. Severus forced himself to smile as he approached her.

"She's sleeping," Lara commented in a whisper.

"She'll need a name soon...we can't just keep calling her 'her' and 'she', now can we?" Severus smirked as he stood next to Lara.

"I do hate common names...like mine. She'll need something unique...and honorable. If he names her, he has control of her...you must name her first."

"I think we can come up with something," Severus assured her, emphasizing on the "we".

Lara only smiled at him. It pained Severus to see her so calm with the situation. The child was born now and there was nothing keeping Lara from going back to him...going back to be killed. She didn't seem worried or concerned in anyway. He wondered how she could do it.

"I had a dream last night," Lara went on as she gazed at her daughter's sleeping face.

"Oh? What was it about?" Severus replied although he was only half listening. He walked over the one of the large windows and gazed at the grounds.

"Her...she was laughing and smiling with a boy, I don't remember what she called him. Henry or something...such a common name. My God, she's going to be beautiful...long black hair and blue eyes. She was friends with the boy...she loved him, cared about him, I could sense that. Do you know what else?"

"No...what?" Severus asked half heartedly.

"She was happy. She's going to be happy. Do you promise to keep her safe?' Lara asked casually.

"I will try my best," Severus assured her as he turned back into the room and looked at her and the baby.

"No...do you promise?" Lara asked more firmly.

"I...I promise," Severus replied as he nodded his head.

She smiled what seemed to be even more, if that were possible.

"My arms are getting a bit tired...will you take her to the crib?" Lara asked.

Severus nodded his head and took the baby from her arms. Lara gently fixed the soft blankets around her baby as Severus carefully held her a bit awkwardly in his arms. She let out a chuckle, Severus guessed it was because he looked extremely uncomfortable holding the child. He walked quickly to the edge of the room, afraid that at any moment the baby would squirm and slip right out of his arms. He gently rested the baby on the bottom of the crib and turned back to the room. A window was open, letting in the warm summer breeze. Lara was gone.

Severus stepped to the window, but it did no good. She was gone. He heard the baby whimper slightly in its crib before falling back to sleep. A knot formed in his throat and he angrily pushed it as far down as it would go. He stepped away from the window and slowly closed it.

"Zora! Are you awake?" a voice called from somewhere outside of the elaborate room...outside the dream.

Zora's eyes fluttered open. She wiped immediately at her eyes and found that they were unsurprisingly moist. Of all the dreams she had witnessed in her lifetime, the one of her mother leaving was the absolute worst. Almost symbolically, it was also the one who frequented her sleep the most.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley...I am now," she called back tiredly.

The door creaked open slowly as Mrs. Weasley entered.

"So, sorry, dear," she said gently. "I know you need your rest, but there's someone to see you."

Zora yawned and rose from her bed. She ran her fingers through her long hair and straightened the wrinkles in her clothing the best that she could. The door creaked open and her visitor entered. He smiled, although hit did not suit his face and crossed over to sit in the rocking chair.