Fictional vs. Reality

Chapter Four - Laying some ground rules

Ginny shook her head. "He's gone," she said. "He went back to Hogwarts, and I don't think he'll be back any time soon, for term is about to begin."

Hermione shook her head and jumped out of bed. She grabbed her robe and put it on, grabbed a quill and parchment, and began writing as quickly, and yet, as neatly, as she could. She found it difficult as she was shaking.

Albus-

I need you to come here immediately. I have something I need to talk with you about. I'm sorry sir, but it cannot wait. Please, get back here as quick as you can!

Hermione

She rolled the parchment up, also with much difficulty, and bounded out of the room, Ginny closely following.

Without much thinking, she burst into the boys' room, and walked straight to where Pig was located.

"What the blue devil is going on!" Ron shouted as he shot up, wand pointing at the intruders. He lowered his wand as he squinted at Hermione. "Hermione? What are you doing in here?"

Hermione, however, was concentrating on getting to Pig. She finally caught him, and told him to take to Dumbledore as quick as he could. She opened the window, and sent Pig out.

"Hey!" Ron shouted, getting out of bed.

Hermione turned to him, and flinched at seeing his awake.

Harry groaned into his pillow, and Draco, who also woken up as the two girls bounded into the room, looked at Ginny.

"What are you doing here?" Ron demanded.

Hermione glared at him. Without another word, she stormed out of the room. Ginny looked between Draco and Ron, who were looking at her for the answers.

Ginny shrugged, keeping her promise she made to Hermione about not telling anyone other than Albus about her dreams. She put her hair behind her ear, and walked out, leaving the two boys to stare at each other, confused.

---

Bella continued to cling onto Severus, who started looking around the room. She would not let go of him until Freddy left, and he never left for long.

The monster sat in a plush chair opposite them, and also looked around the room.

Voldemort had them all meet in a parlor of Malfoy Manor. The room was fairly large, though it seemed small with all the furniture around.

Voldemort sat in a different chair, one that Lucius never allowed anyone else to sit in. It was large with golden silk in the decoration of a dragon.

He sighed, causing the four other occupants to come to attention. Narcissa was there just because she didn't like secret planning behind her back in her own home.

Voldemort looked at Freddy.

"I assume you understand that I have select few of those whom you are not to harm or have fun with, right?" he asked.

Freddy nodded. "And, so far, I only have these three." Narcissa was added because she would not tolerate not having privacy in her own home whilst she slept.

"I have more. Do you think you can remember? Good. There are these three. But, there are also some of whom you are not to harm, but you may have fun. There is a magical school for younger witches and wizards. It's called Hogwarts. You are not to harm one student or professor there. You may, however have fun. Severus is a professor there; he is an exception."

Freddy nodded again at Severus.

"And, there are three certain...no, four certain younger beings, though they do not attend the school anymore, you will not harm them, you may have fun with them, but harmless, idle fun. I don't that fool of a headmaster to suspect anything too soon. He is the one those four will go to."

Freddy leaned forward. "Very good ground rules, chief, but, uh, I need more than just how many of them there are and why I can't have harmful non deadly fun with them. I need their names."

Voldemort nodded. "I only know Harry Potter, and Draco Malfoy. They are sure to run to Dumbledore the first chance they get. I have all my pity and sympathy saved for Lucius for raising a traitorous son."

Narcissa cleared her throat.

"I also have pity and sympathy for you, Narcissa dear."

Narcissa smiled.

"Now, the other two, I am not sure of. Severus?"

Severus nodded. "The other two names are..." he bit his lip. He already had given too much information to the dark side, he couldn't risk anymore. But, in order for Weasley and Granger to be safe, he had to give their names. Besides, Voldemort would know if he was lying or not. Would he? Severus had been a traitor since he could remember, and Voldemort still didn't know. "...Their names are Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley."

---

Ginny bounded through the bedroom door, where Hermione stood, pacing, muttering to herself not to fall asleep. She looked up as Ginny ran to her.

Ginny grabbed her hand, and pulled her down to where the kitchen was.

Hermione was surprised to see Albus there already. It hadn't even been five hours, and he was here already. He was alone, thankfully.

"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley," he addressed. He motioned for the two to sit down, and they did so. He took a seat across from them. "Miss Granger, you needed to talk to me about something?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes sir." She took a deep breath, wanting to calm herself down, but the more she thought about the dream she just had recently, the more she wanted to cry. She began, just like she began with Ginny and Minerva. "I've been having strange dreams lately."

Albus nodded, indicating for her to continue.

"Nightmares, actually," she continued. "And I find it queer that I start having nightmares now, for I haven't had a nightmare since first year in Hogwarts."

"Tell me about these dreams."

"Well, the first one I had, I was standing in the middle of a muggle city, I'm not sure where. There were cars, and people walking, and there was commotion everywhere. For me, I just stood there, feeling lost, alone. Then, somebody came up behind me, wrapped his arms around me, and whispered, in a very rough, raspy voice, 'Don't be frightened, young girl. I am here to save you. I will take you away.' I looked down at his arms, and they were covered by a sweater, I couldn't see them. I looked up to his face, the best I could, and was frightened."

"Why?"

"His face! It was...burnt! I don't know how to explain it! It was unnatural, and inhumane! I ran away from him, but he kept chasing me. And, all the while he was chasing me, there was singing. Little girls singing. They were very muffled at the time, I couldn't understand them."

It was just then Hermione realized the singing she heard from her first nightmare was the same song in all of the dreams, only her most recent one didn't seem to be as muffled.

"Did they differ?" Dumbledore asked.

Hermione shook her head. "Last night was a new one, sir."

"Tell me."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Did she dare tell him about what led to it all? About the kissing with Viktor, and Snape, and Freddy Krueger? No, she couldn't tell him that. It wasn't important, and he didn't need to know her personal dreams.

"Well," she wondered where to start. The kitchen? "I was standing outside the door that led to the kitchen. I walk in, and everything and everyone was gone, out of it. It was bare. I walked further in, and the door slammed shut behind me, and I heard the singing again, only this time, I could make out most of the words."

"How does this song go?"

"One... two Freddy's coming for you. Three... four better lock your door. Five... six grab your crucifix. Seven... eight...That's all I heard, sir. But, after that, the same man comes up behind me, saying he wrote the song. I back up all the way to a wall that seemed to appear out of nowhere, and asked him who he was. He answered, 'Freddy Krueger.' He lunged at me with his steel - fingered glove. I dodge it, but he managed to tear the cloth at my shoulder and just barely scratched my skin, though it was enough to make me bleed."

Dumbledore nodded. Fiction...Severus had said. Voldemort was using fictional muggle characters to terrorize the world. He knew this wasn't going to turn out good.

"Is that all?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. Ginny was surprised, and Dumbledore noted this.

Hermione grabbed her sleeve, and pulled it up as far as it could go, revealing her shoulder. Ginny gasped, Dumbledore looked at it with rage.

"I have news, Miss Granger," he said. Hermione let her sleeve fall. "It concerns Voldemort. He is using fictional muggle beasts who are feared by most muggles. I'm afraid, Freddy Krueger is one of them."

Recognition dawned on Hermione then. "That's where I heard Freddy Krueger from! It was a movie I watched a long time ago with my friend. Nightmare on Elm Street it was. Frightening movie. Freddy Krueger!" She put her hand to her mouth. She knew he was familiar, but didn't know from what; now she did. She had been afraid of Freddy Krueger since she first saw the movie, Nightmare on Elm Street. Though, it had been so long ago, and she had been so busy with other things, she forgot all about him.

"Listen to me, Hermione," Albus said. "You too Ginny." The girls knew this to be serious, as he never calls them by their first names unless it was important. "I need you stay here in Grimmauld. Ginny, I will take you to Hogwarts myself once term is started. I want you two to tell the boys also. I will have Freddy Krueger terrorizing anyone if I can help it! Stay here until I come for you, Ginny. Until then, stay in this house. I will have someone go to Diagon Alley for your things."

The girls watched as he quickly stood up and bounded out of the house.