Dursley Dream

Chapter 6: A FRIENDSHIP STRONGER THAN FRIENDSHIP

    Ron closed his eyes first then Hermione followed suit. They could hear the dementors starting to move but it wasn't long before a strong wind whisked them back where they stood minutes earlier. They fell on the ground with a loud thud. Professor Dumbledore rushed over to them.

    "The book! You have the Book of Memories!" he said.

    "Yes but now what do we do with it? Isn't the ritual supposed to be deadly?" said Ron.

    Dumbledore took the book from Hermione, turned to the very first and began reading aloud. It was as if all this book contained was the old ritual to revive a dementor victim.

    "A Friendship Stronger Than Friendship, the ancient wizards called it. Revival of a dementor victim who's soul did not become part of the dementor is evil business. The victim's soul must first be located. The body must be recovered and friends of the victim must be willing to make sacrifices. This ritual is called 'Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum.' It is named as such because the victim may return, but others may die in his or her wake."

    "I do not like the sound of that," said Ron, glancing up nervously at Dumbledore.

    "I don't think anyone does but we all want Harry back, don't we?" grinned Dumbledore.

    Ron didn't really understand it. Apparently Dumbledore had a few tricks up his sleeve. Dumbledore continued reading.

    "Here are the required pieces to reviving past memories:

    1) The body of the victim

    2) The soul of the victim

    3) The victim's parents

    4) Five friends

    5) And a will for sacrifice."

    "Well that's just bloody great," Ron blurted out. "Parents? Where the hell are we gonna find Harry's parents?" Ron didn't see Mr. and Mrs. Dursley come outside. Hermione poked him in the ribs and he looked at them. "THEM?! OH GREAT, WE MIGHT AS WELL KISS HARRY GOOD-BYE!" he bellowed.

    "We never --" Aunt Petunia tried to say but --

    "Mrs. Dursley crying with Harry involved? Heavens me, it must be a very warm day at the north and south pole," said Hermione scathingly.

    "Do you want to try this or not?" barked Uncle Vernon.

    "Ron, Hermione, you two find Harry and his body. I will be thinking of ways to prevent more disaster during the ritual," said Dumbledore.

    Ron and Hermione set off into the forest. A cold chill swept over them when they first entered. They knew when the chill went away they were going in the wrong direction. It would be a miracle to find Harry's body in one piece, they thought, because any beast would want to have it's final moment. The cold became stronger and stronger until they came upon a small clearing in the forest. The cold chill left them. It was identical to the day they left it.

    The troll's blood was still covering every inch of the forest. Flashes of the dreaded day pierced their vision like nails. It was all too unreal, nothing had changed. Harry's lifeless body was still in the same position as they remembered it. His robes, hair and any skin exposed was still colored like blood and there was not a scratch on him, or at least any new scratches, anyway...

    "We better float him back," said Hermione. "Just make sure we don't run into anyth-"

    "Back again, I see," said a voice, that same voice. It, too, came back. Hermione stood frozen in place. The two of them brandished their wands. Ron stood straight and proud.

    "WHERE ARE YOU! I'M NOT AFRAID, COME GET ME!" he shouted back, spinning in all directions as he spoke. The cold chill swept over them again. The same black figure dashed out in front of him. Hermione was able to keep a firm grip on her wand this time. The figure tried again on Ron but he, too, was able to keep hold.

    "Stronger and prepared I see!" said the voice. "But what are you going to do without someone to die for you?"

    "Someone to die for us?" Hermione said in a very, very low whisper.

    "What is it?" Ron replied quietly.

    "Harry's mom... sh-she sacrificed herself for Harry..." said Hermione slowly.

    "Yeah, so?"

    "Do you trust me?"

    "What?!"

    "Shhh! Do you trust me!"

    "Yes, of course I do." Ron had no idea what Hermione was up to but she obviously had a plan.

    "Come get us!" she cried out. "You better kill us while you have the chance!"

    "Oh, don't worry," said the voice letting out it's unmistakable laugh.

    Hermione dashed over to Harry, pulling Ron with her. They knew the black figure was behind them because the shadow loomed overhead. She grabbed Harry's body by the wrist as the figure crept up behind them. Green light soared just over Hermione as she ducked.

    "Harry, come on! What are you waiting for!" she hissed at him.

    The cold chill became almost unbearable. Something grabbed Hermione by the neck and lifted her up. Her grip on Harry was released as she was pulled higher and higher.

    Suddenly, it dropped her as suddenly as it picked her up. The cold chill became a mere light breeze. Hermione turned around -- the figure was gone.

    "Mobilicorpus," she said and with a flick of the wand, Harry's body flew just behind her.

    They started to walk back following the cold chill. After just a few steps, the white figure appeared directly in front of them. It was just white, pure white, with no features. It looked as if someone floated bed sheets after painting them perfect white. It did not advance on them and did not look like a threat. In fact, it turned and changed direction as Ron and Hermione walked forward. The ghostly figure of Harry was leading them out of the forest.

    They stepped out of the forest to find just Professor Dumbledore waiting for them. He looked at Harry's body, then at the white figure and jumped.

    "It-it's true. I would not believe it unless I had seen it with my own eyes," he said. The ghost of Harry flew through the castle walls.

    "We better get inside," said Ron. "Look, it's starting to thunder."

    "Oh perfect," said Hermione. "We go to start an ancient deadly ritual and just like in books and movies, a thunder storm starts." The three of them walked back inside, the body of Harry not far behind.

    Everyone instinctively walked right into the Great Hall. The tables were propped up on the sides except for one altar right in the middle. Hermione placed Harry's body on it. Everyone gasped when they saw the blood. Most had forgotten what happened that dreadful day. Vernon, Petunia, Dudley, Sirius, Snape, McGonagall, Trelawney, Binns... everyone was in the room waiting to get started.

    "I still don't see how this is going to work when we don't have Harry's real parents," said Hermione grudgingly.

    "There was a small excerpt in the back that said if real parents are not around, close relatives will do," said Dumbledore with a smile. Hermione grunted. "Now." He opened the book and skimmed it looking for the instructions. "I do not know what sort of sacrifice will be made," he started, "but I'm sure all of us wish we never had to do this.

    "Sirius, would you please stand at the foot of the altar. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, would you please stand on either side." Dumbledore moved to stand at the head of the altar. "Hermione, Ron and, Minerva please stand somewhere around him."

    Everyone took their place. The familiar cold chill Hermione and Ron knew had now filled the room. Dumbledore began to chant from the book.

    The chill turned off. The stillness in the air turned to a light breeze. The neutral air became slightly warmer. Thunder outside became loud and the flashes of light from lightning bolts lit up the bewitched sky as if it were day. The slight warmth turned hotter. The light breeze became a quick wind. Voices began to speak to them but neither words nor the speaker could be made out. Dumbledore's voice had to grow over the howling wind. The heat turned very hot. The quick breeze became a gust of torrential wind and everyone struggled to stay standing. The ghost of Harry was perfectly still just above his body. There was still no expression on his face and the figure was still pure white without imperfection.

    Dumbledore shouted the last few words of the incantation when all the faces lit up in excitement. The voices became chaotic.

    Hermione made a scared gasp when the ghost of Harry was pulled down into the body but still, he lay limp.

    The heat died out, the winds stopped and the room became eerily calm. The chaotic voices were still whispering but still nothing about them could be made out. Everyone stood up to catch a glimpse of what was happening.

    Harry's dead eyes opened and rays of heavenly light beamed out of them. He floated up several feet above the altar and a shockwave thrusted outwards from it, sending everyone careening against a wall. Harry lay still and unconscious as everyone got back to their feet taking two or three steps closer to see. Sparkles of gold filled the surrounding area around the altar and the chaotic voices turned heavenly. His eyes closed, stopping the light. The thunder storm outside stopped, the wind stopped and nothing mattered to anyone except the floating body in the middle of the room.

    The body floated back down to the altar. The voices stopped. The golden sparkles dissolved into the air. Harry's eyes opened once more. He squinted, rubbed his eyes, fixed his glasses and sat up.

    Hermione sprinted as her legs had never carried her before towards Harry as he stepped down. No one had ever held him tighter. He turned red as apples and everyone else smiled. He thought it best to put his arms round Hermione, too, and put his head on her shoulder. Tears were seen in Aunt Petunia's eyes.

    "Never do that again, never!" exclaimed Hermione.

    Words completely failed Harry; if he said the wrong thing she just might strangle him. Everyone except Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione and Harry walked out muttering something about "did you think we would have it any other way?" The thunder storm outside began to pick up again as it was before the ritual.

    Hermione was still crying on Harry and said through her tears, "I don't get it. Wasn't something bad supposed to happen?" Harry looked up at Dumbledore.

    "Ah, but you see, after some further looking it would appear the first attempt at this ritual was done with the wrong soul," he said smiling. He looked up at Harry and continued, "It took a ritual over seven thousand years old to bring you back. It was very brave of you three to go after Ron's parents. Nothing but pure luck ensured you would all come out of it alive."

    Hermione giggled, let go of Harry and looked up at him.

    "You know I had nightmares over you! I cried myself to sleep so many times," she said.

    The thought was a little too much and she went right back to holding him. Suddenly Harry's body went limp. Hermione let go and he fell to the floor. There was no sound except for the gasp from Hermione which pierced the still air. She cried hysterically and dropped to her knees.

    "We should bring him to the hospital wing," said Dumbledore quickly, looking at Ron and Hermione. "It is very likely he's just as tired as the rest of us."

    Dumbledore carried Harry to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey had been waiting. It looked like she expected to see him passed out. It's not like she didn't have to take care of him in this condition before...

    "He'll be okay, won't he?" Ron said looking with hopeful eyes up at Dumbledore.

    "We'll see in the morning. Come now, off to bed."

    "Let them stay here for the night," suggested Madam Pomfrey. Ron and Hermione looked up at Dumbledore with puppy eyes.

    "All right then, they can stay."

    A bolt of lightning cracked just outside the castle walls to light up the night sky. It had been a very emotional evening.