Drifting

Chapter 8: Possession

"In my dreams

I break the chain that holds this place together...

And beyond the walls

That hold us here,

The skies that stretch across the atmosphere

And revolution is near...

Together we can fight this feeling,

And the demons that stalk us

Will eventually turn to dust,

Together we can start this healing-"

Fefe Dobson, Revolution Song.

~*~

Ginny sat and watched Harry sleep. She wished she could say he was sleeping peacefully but that would be one of the biggest lies of the century. He tossed, turned, moaned, and cried out endlessly. Ron and Hermione made their way to Harry's bedside shaking their heads sadly.

"I swear, someday You-Know-Who is going to kill Harry through these nightmares," Ron said.

Hermione slapped his arm.

"Harry is not going to die," she whispered harshly.

Ron flinched. "No, no. Of course he won't."

Hermione calmed down a little and sat down next to Ginny. She took one of Harry's hands in hers, running her thumb over the back of it. Suddenly Harry shot up as if he'd been hit by something.

"What do you think you're doing?" he yelled.

He wrenched his hand out of her grasp. There was a red mark where Hermione had been tracing a pattern on the back of his hand.

"Don't vent all your anger on Hermione, mate!" Ron exclaimed.

"Hermione? The Mudblood?"

Ron's face turned beet red with anger.

"What did you just call her?" he roared.

As Ron began to advance on Harry, his fists clenched into tight balls, Harry shuddered and fell limply back onto the bed. Ron stopped.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked.

Ron just shook his head. He looked at Hermione who was studying Harry's face intently.

"He's being possessed," she whispered. "You can see it in his eyes, V-Voldemort's lurking in the background. That wasn't Harry just now, that was Voldemort."

"Please say You-Know-Who," Ron begged.

"No, Ron. Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself," Ginny snapped.

"Where'd you learn that?"

"Oh, er, Harry told me. Dumbledore told him that back in his first year."

They were interrupted when Harry groaned and sat up clutching his forehead.

"Why's everyone looking at me funny?"

The three seemed to be in a stupor. Ginny was the first to break herself out of it.

"You don't remember anything you just said?" she asked, fearing what the answer would be.

Harry looked at her oddly. "I was asleep. What did I say?"

Ginny sent a worried glance at him before turning to Hermione. Immediately, the other girl had all the proof she needed.

"You were possessed by Voldemort, Harry."

For a moment, Harry didn't have a reaction. Then what Hermione had just said began to sink in. A terrified look crossed his face. He opened and closed his mouth many times, trying to say something.

"Get Dumbledore," he croaked. "Ask my Aunt where Mrs. Figg's house is. Go there and ask her to contact Dumbledore. Tell him he has to come immediately."

No one moved.

"We can't leave you here alone," Hermione said.

Harry's face flushed with anger.

"You think I can't take care of myself for ten minutes? You think that-"

"No, it's not that. It's just - oh fine already. Come on, let's go," Hermione interrupted.

She and Ron left the room. Ginny hung behind for a minute. She brushed the hair away from Harry's eyes and kissed his forehead gently.

"We'll be back soon," she whispered, moving away from him.

Harry's lips curved into a small smile before he shut his eyes once more.

~*~

Ten minutes later, as predicted, Dumbledore burst into Harry's bedroom. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny followed close behind. A pair of green eyes were barely visible, hidden by almost closed eyelids.

"Harry?" Dumbledore spoke softly.

Harry blinked a few times before rolling over. He waved feebly at his Headmaster and his friends.

"Harry, I'm going to need to know what happened."

"Er, I don't really know what happened. I've kind of been in a daze ever since the dream this morning," Harry replied, his voice a little hoarse.

Dumbledore turned to the three teens behind him. Ron stood, cradling Hermione in his arms. Ginny was leaning against the wall, eyeing Harry with a look full of concern and love.

"Miss Weasley. How about you and Harry work together and tell me about what has happened this morning. I presume you were with him."

Ginny managed to fight back the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. Harry managed to give a small smile before closing his eyes and turning back over.

"I have one question before we go," Hermione said.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Why is Harry so tired if he was only possessed for about a minute or two? Ginny - sorry about bringing this up - was never tired after she was possessed. Is there something wrong?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth to reply but Harry got his answer out first.

"I don't think Ginny was trying to fight against it. I was."

Ginny looked thoughtful. "You know, he's right. I bet that does have something to do with it."

Dumbledore smiled. "Indeed it does."

"Thank you, sir," said Hermione as she left.

Ginny pushed herself off the wall and sat down next to Harry. Dumbledore pulled the chair out from Harry's desk and sat down in it.

"Ready, Harry?"

"Mhmm," Harry mumbled, forcing himself to sit up.

By the time they were done with the explanation, Harry was struggling to stay awake. He kept rubbing his eyes, trying to clear them from the haze they were in. He'd only been contributing to the conversation half-heartedly, not really caring anymore.

After a while, he'd turned his attention to Ginny. It felt weird to Harry to call Ginny his girlfriend. At the same time though, it felt completely right.

He began to study her figure. Her face was so smooth and flawless. The bunches of freckles scattered around her cheeks seemed to blend right in, highlighting the other features of her face. Her eyes were a very light brown. Harry figured he could probably lose himself in them if he wanted to.

His eyes traveled lower, surveying her chest. A faint blush rose in his cheeks, standing out vividly from the almost whiteness of his skin. I have got to stop that. I love her for who she is, not for the fact that she's stacked.

With much effort Harry pulled his eyes away from Ginny. He commenced staring out the window, watching nothing in particular.

"Harry?"

The voice seemed to float around him. Harry could hear it, but it sounded as if it was coming from far away.

"Harry?"

Harry didn't respond, still off in his own world.

"Harry!"

Harry jumped. The small bed shook beneath him.

"What?"

He looked up and found Ginny trying her best to hide her laughter. Dumbledore was frowning at him though. A confused look spread over Harry's face.

"What did I do this time?" he asked.

"Have you been zoning out like this a lot?"

Harry nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No!" Harry replied a little too quickly. Hastily he added, "Really, I'm fine."

Dumbledore still looked uneasy.

"If you're sure," the old wizard said finally. "If you need anything just send for me."

He stood up to leave.

"Wait! Ginny, could you - er - leave for a minute. I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore privately."

Ginny nodded and walked out. Dumbledore took this as his cue to sit back down.

"I was wondering, sir, why I got the burn on my hand while I was being possessed. It was only Hermione touching me."

"Ah. I was hoping you would ask that. You see, Miss Granger unknowingly created a family bond between you two. Since a loving family was something that Lord Voldemort never had, the touch of a caring person burns him. Since he was inside your body, it burned you instead. It's very similar to how Professor Quirrel couldn't touch you back in your first year."

Harry blinked a few times, taking in the information. Thank God for Hermione, he thought.

"Anything else?"

Harry shook his head. He shifted a little and pulled the covers back up to his chin.

"Thank you."

Dumbledore gave a short nod and left.

~*~

"Did it work, my Lord?" Wormtail murmured at his master's side.

"No, you imbecile. The Potter boy is much stronger than I thought. Dreams can break him but apparently I cannot."

Bellatrix glided into the room. She bowed before Voldemort and took her rightful place beside him. Wormtail was shoved onto the floor.

"My master, my Lord. I have found something that may finally work on the Potter filth," she said in a dangerous tone.

Voldemort looked down at his most faithful Death Eater. Lucius Malfoy had always been his right-hand man. Now that the fool had gotten himself killed in Azkaban, he had gotten Bellatrix as a replacement. So far she had yet to displease him.

"Well, tell me," he snapped.

"Yes, master. I was in a store in Knockturn Alley a couple days ago and I overheard a conversation. They were talking about ways to trap someone in their own world and how the person who trapped them could control what went on in it. I found a book on it. It took loads of trouble to find it, but knowing your plan, I knew I'd have to find it. Here's the excerpt."

A thick book was shoved under Lord Voldemort's face. It was open to the beginning of the chapter on what Bella had been saying.

In order to trap someone in their own world you must first get inside said person's mind. It is highly suggested that you have proper training in Legilimens before attempting this...

"Yes, yes. I'm already a skilled Legilimens, I already have a connection with the person, I can already possess him."

"It didn't work," Wormtail muttered.

"Crucio!" Voldemort yelled.

Wormtail fell back to the floor. He screamed in pain as he twisted and flopped around on the floor.

"Stop, master. I am sorry, master," he pleaded.

You know, Voldemort thought, disgusted, you think he'd learn by now after having so many of the same curse hit his pathetic body.

He lifted the curse and watched with great satisfaction as Wormtail struggled to lift himself up.

His attention turned back to the book and he scanned the pages.

You must catch the person off guard and slowly ease into their mind. Trap them in a memory and then pull them into their own world. If you succeed, the body will stay where you left it but the mind and soul will be manipulated by you...

"This is perfect, Bella. Exactly what I need to convert Potter. You shall be rewarded."

Bella murmured many thanks.

"Now leave, and take that pathetic rat with you. I have work to do," he sneered.

"Yes, master."

Bella bowed once more. Pointing her wand at Wormtail she banished him into the outside hall. She turned on her heel and stalked out.

"Maybe all my faithful servants aren't as thick as I thought."

The Dark Lord shook his head in disgust. Who am I kidding? Everyone knows they're just a bunch of bloody dunderheads.

~*~

Sirius sat at the bar in Ghost Town Inn. Idly he twirled the umbrella in his drink. It had been a long month or so since he had come here. The old memory of his arrival came floating across him mind.

As soon as he fell through the veil he'd seen masses of people standing there and staring at him.

One man stepped forward and his mouth dropped.

"Sirius?" the man croaked.

"James Potter!" Sirius said in disbelief.

A woman stepped up next to him, wrapping her arms around James' waist.

"Who is it, love?"

"It's Sirius!"

Lily turned her brilliant green eyes on Sirius. For an instant the man was painfully reminded of the boy he'd left behind.

"Sirius!" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Er - when you fall through the veil you're dead, aren't you?"

Lily looked at him in disbelief.

"Last I heard you were in Azkaban. Dementors finally get to you?"

Sirius vaguely wondered whom they had heard this from. It must have been at least three years ago.

"Harry tried to prove me innocent after I escaped and went to Hogwarts. Moony was a professor that year. The two of us found Pettigrew and we told Harry the truth. Unfortunately, it was his word against everyone else's and since he was only thirteen at the time..."

Lily cut in frantically. "You know our son!"

Sirius almost laughed. "Of course. I am his godfather after all." His face fell. "Or at least I was."

The crowd that had been there when Sirius arrived began to disband. Sirius could see clearly ahead of him now. This place looked just like the world of the living. It seemed like it was an exact replica of Hogsmeade.

Later, Lily and James had told him that the land of the dead was a parallel universe to the world of the living. Nothing could hurt you here though, so the hospital workers had to find new jobs. Everything that was in the real world appeared in its exact place in death. If a new building was built, it appeared in the exact same place in the land of the dead. There was everything except the people who were still living.

Lily grasped Sirius' arm and dragged the two men over to a bench on the roadside.

"Please, Padfoot. Tell us everything about Harry. You don't know how much we've wanted to see him and hear about his life," James pleaded.

Sirius looked at him as if he was crazy. "Of course I'll tell you."

Sirius spent the better part of the next two hours telling Harry's tales of his childhood, weaving in the parts of his own life when the time came. Lily and James hung on to his every word. By the end of it, Lily was crying on James' shoulder. James tried to keep his face emotionless but he failed.

"He sounds like such a lovely boy," Lily whispered.

Sirius smiled a little.

"You would have been very proud of him. I'm just worried about what my death might do to him. He's already developed the habit of when something's bothering him he pushes everyone away. It makes me wonder if Dumbledore had told him the prophecy yet."

James frowned. "If he hadn't already, he should have now. Harry needs to know so he won't come join us because he doesn't really have a family."

None of the group knew that Harry was currently in the process of wrecking Dumbledore's office.

The trio sat in silence for a long time.

Finally, James stood up. "Well, c'mon, Padfoot. Time to take you to your new home."

Sirius nodded and stood up. He chanced one last glance at the rippling black window to another world. It sent shivers down his spine.

I need to talk to Harry, he thought. But there's no way I can get back. I need help.

Sirius shook off the memory. It always brought tears to his eyes. It had been hard for him; being reunited with the people he thought he'd never see again but leaving behind the one who needed him the most.

He knew how much Harry had needed him and loved him, even if the boy had never said it. He could feel it. Sirius knew that Harry never told anyone else half the stuff that he had told him. Sirius doubted Harry would ever trust someone else to tell these things to again.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice a man walking up to him. Seeing that he couldn't get Sirius' attention by just standing there, he tapped the man on the shoulder. Sirius jumped.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"My name is Nicolas Flamel and I think I've found your solution to contacting your godson."

For a moment Sirius didn't move.

"How did you know about Harry?"

Nicolas smiled a little.

"Everyone knows about Harry. Before I died though, Dumbledore came to me. He said that he had seen the future once again. He told me that after I came here, I had to wait four years and then Sirius Black would fall through the veil. He told me I needed to seek this man out and tell him of the book that Lord Voldemort would soon own was what he needed. Sirius, you must find that book and trap Harry in another world before Voldemort can convince him to join the Dark side."

"Harry would never-" Sirius started.

"Dumbledore seemed to think that without you, Harry wouldn't be willing to put up much of a fight," Nicolas cut in.

Sirius remained quiet for a while. He hadn't really thought of the impact his death would have on Harry. He had figured Harry would be sad but he hadn't thought about how bad it really would be for him.

"So what is this book?"

"It's a book entitled Alternate Realities and can only be found in one place..."

And that's how Sirius came to be standing next to Nicolas outside of a small bookshop on the outskirts of Paris, France. He wondered if this was the bookshop that Voldemort and his cronies had gotten the book from in the real world.

"Are you sure it's here? The shop seems too small to hold such an important book," Sirius asked warily.

"The book is only important to those who seek it."

They walked inside. Sirius looked around amazed that the book he needed would be found here. It was a very small bookshop. There are probably less books in here than in Grimmauld's library, Sirius thought dimly.

Nicolas tugged on Sirius' arm, leading him to the back of the store.

"Why, hello there," said the store clerk.

He seemed so excited to see them that Sirius wondered when was the last time the man had had a customer.

"How can I help yeh lads today?"

Sirius also thought it was weird that the clerk had an Irish accent yet he lived in France.

"We're looking for the book Alternate Realities. I was told that you would be the nearest shop to me that would have it except for the one in Hogwarts Library," Nicolas said.

The clerk nodded and disappeared into the storage room behind him. Sirius began to hum quietly, trying to liven up the place. It was dark and dusty. The lights were dim and you could barely see the books that were ten feet away from you. All of the blinds were closed on the windows as if the clerk didn't want to see what was outside. Sirius wondered what there was out there that was so bad besides the fact that the sun never shone here. James said he'd get used to the always gloominess but Sirius didn't think he ever would.

The clerk came back, carrying a small but thick book in his hands.

"Here yeh go lads."

Nicolas took the book, blowing the dust off of it. He reached into one of his pockets and paid the man behind the counter.

"Thank you sir," Nicolas said, dragging Sirius out of the store.

The old man waved them off cheerfully; apparently glad he had sold something.

Once they were outside, Nicolas handed Sirius the book.

"Here you go. Skim through it tonight and I'll meet you back at the bar tomorrow at noon. Don't mention this too James and Lily. Only you can do this."

Nicolas Disapparated in a flash. Sirius stood there for a few more minutes, flipping through the book. He was surprised at the amount of work and training it would take to get to Harry. He'd have to become a Legilimens among other things.

Shaking his head and putting the book in his pocket, he Disapparated back to Godric's Hollow.

~~**~~