Topic: So Many Questions and Not Enough Answers

[potter_fan122]

((Sequel to Dreams Are Powerful Things.))

Part One.

I woke up quite suddenly, and I could instantly tell that I was shaking and close to hyperventilation. I balled my hands tightly to try and control it, but it didn`t help much. I shivered as a cold chill ran down my spine. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair. I took deep breaths, concentrating on that one function.

In. Out. It. Out. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. It took more attention that it should have to make my heart rate lower.

What had that dream been? Well, it obviously hadn`t been a dream. It was definitely a vision soft of thing that took me somewhere. But where? I got a bad feeling and looked down at my clothing.

I was no longer in the clothes that I had fallen asleep in. I was wearing long, dark clothing. I knew the clothes well. They had been specially tailored just for me. They were made so I could be armed to the teeth and no one would know. The cloth was thick, so it wouldn`t be cut as easily as cotton. I ran my hand over my arm, and I was right again. I was armed. Not with the four short daggers that I had before, no. I knew without checking that I had four long daggers, two knives that were as long as my shin, and eight standard daggers. Those had all been specially made, too, with enough silver to make a werewolf yelp, but enough steel to stay deadly sharp.

I scrambled off of the bed, not noticing that my breathing had quickened again. I pulled a knife from my arm and carefully ran my finger across the blade. Sure enough, a thin line of blood bubbled up. I smiled and put the blade back, sticking my finger in my mouth to stop the bleeding.

At least Jonathan, whoever he was, had given the knives back.

But, that meant that he expected to see me again. He said that he would see me again, but how? When? What would he do to me? What did he want? Was he really my uncle? How did he know my father? How did he make that bracelet appear?

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I had way too many questions and not nearly enough answers for my liking. I didn`t like the fact that he had so easily taken control of me. I had become used to being powerful, and I liked it. I liked knowing what I could do, and what others could do. But with Jonathan, nothing. I got nothing.

I rubbed the wrist that the magic bracelet had been. The first time I had been forced to wearing it, I had been kidnapped. The feeling of being powerless was horrifying. It made my skin tingle, and even now I would absently scratch that wrist. I couldn`t help it. Being a witch, and one with supposedly unique powers had made me think a lot of myself, I realized that now. But compared to other students, I was powerful. Extremely so. The only person who had been able to slice through my blocks with ease was Ginny.

I was scared.

How couldn`t I be? Any smart person would have been scared a long time ago, but I was stubborn. I was raised by a mother who didn`t exactly make things easy for me. I had to fight for what I wanted, and I was used to it. I fought, and I fought hard. I would get what I wanted.

I shivered again and looked around the room, which suddenly looked a lot smaller than it had last night. My eyes rested on my bag. The bag that held all of the clothing I brought when I stormed away from home. It didn`t hold a lot, but it did hold a few more changes of clothes that were clean. I stared at the bag for a moment, Jonathan`s face swimming before my eyes. I shook my head and got a change of clothes along with some toiletries. I made my way to the little bathroom, feeling really dirty.

Funny, I had felt fine last night. All that I cared about was getting home to Aiden. Now I realized that I should look out for me, too. My father hadn`t made me realize this, but getting visited by a stranger in my dreams who claimed to be my uncle sure did.

I locked myself in the bathroom and took a deep breath. The floor was chilly against my bare feet, and that struck me as odd. Things weren`t often cold to me. Most things were about the same or warm. I shrugged it off, it was just the floor, and took off my outer layer of clothing.

I say outer because I always wore a tank top and shorts under this particular set of clothes. I only wore these things if I was going to be armed, and I didn`t want to sheaths against my bare skin. After a little time and some friction, they hurt. The sheaths can make your skin raw if you wear them too long, so I always made sure that I wore clothes under them. It was a bit hot after a while, but what is a little temperature when you might be fighting for your life?

I carefully slipped the knives off and folded them with their wrapping on top of the toilet lid. I wasn`t going to put them on the floor, they had saved me more than once.

As I went to get a towel, I slipped into a regretably familiar blackness.

[Miss Xantier]

Awesome Stacey as ever!

[Alexis]

Great first part!
Honestly can't wait for part two.

[potter_fan122]

Part Two

The darkness was almost painfull, just like sudden bright lights were, but it was a quiet pain. It felt like I was falling again, falling into forever darkness. I braced myself for the landing, but as I rolled onto my side I hit the stone floor with an Augh! The sound echoed faintly around the room, and I could hear it around me. The candles were still in place, as were the big men.

But as my worst fear, Jonathan wasn`t in the circle.

I looked around myself. I couldn`t call thins a dream, I was awake. So what was it? Like, a vision? A really messed up vision, that`s what it was. I carefully shifted my weight, closing my eyes against the pain. And for the forst time, I noticed that my eyes were black. I could feel them being black, could sense them. It was just that little feeling I get when my eyes change color, but I knew. This was definatly not a dream.

I moved myself into a sitting position, my eyes still closed. I would think that I would hear any movement, but Jonathan wasn`t there anyway. He was obviously in charge. My hip hurt badly, and there would be a bruise, but I was fine for now.

Opening my dark eyes, I instantly locked on him. There he was, that smug little son of a b*cth.

Jonathan smiled at me, his arm loosly crossed. His eyes were an emerald shade of green. My eyes would never change that color without seeing him. He was wearing a worn pain of jeans and a baby blue button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. I have to say, he looked better than me in my black tank top and shorts. And of course I had no knives. My knives would be folded up not two feet from my unconscious body.

"What do you want?" I asked suddenly and loudly, my eyes flashing red with a purtrid hate.

Jonathan began to circle me again, still smiling. "Well, well, well, aren`t we just a little bit shirt-tempered today?" He asked me in a scolding tone.

I followed him with my eyes, standing up painfully and turned as he circled. He would not be at my back. "Maybe I would be in a better moon if you hadn`t pulled my from my life to come here again. Why so soon? I can`t have possibly gotten anything you want. I`ve only been awake for less than a half hour." I raised an eyebrow, giving him a harsh look. I still had my powers, for now.

Jonathan clicked his toungue. "I merely wanted to make sure I could pull you under again while you had your own free will. looks like I did good enough." The small frown on his face told me that something was different. I closed my mind with all that I had, everything but shutting it off. I had had to learn how to do this when I worked at the Ministry. All of the other powers would interfere with mine and make me horribly sick. I had to learn to only use my own self. That`s what I did now, making a mental block all the way around. I, myself, wouldn`t be able to use my own powers to their extent.

"Well, I`m here, so can I leave?" I asked.

Jonathan pretended to think about it, even tilting his head. I looked away quickly. He had puased in walking aroung me, so I didn`t need to turn anymore.

"Well, you can`t be of use to me here, so I suppose." He acted like he was doing me a favor, and from the look he gave me then, I was glad that he let me go. I didn`t want to be there when he got angry.

Well, I didn`t want to be here at all, but I had no choice in the matter.

[Alexis]

Another excellent chapter.
XD

[Miss Xantier]

YAY! Excellent part two!

[potter_fan122]

Thank you, guys!
Now the next part will be a while off.
I`m going to write something where Stacey is driving to a train station, and then when she gets back to Hogsmead.
I finally found a way to bring it all back to magic!

Muahahahahahaha!!!

[potter_fan122]

((Before I start, I would like to say that the parts where Aiden is speaking and whatnot, those are Aiden`s words. Because it is from Stacey`s point of veiw, her opinions and stuff will be in more detail, and Aiden`s stuff will be very minimal, but Alexis did an awesome job. XD Give her some credit, too!))

Part Three

The purr of the car`s engine was somewhat calming as Stacey raced down the highway. She was cheating a little, though. She wasn`t exactly using her powers, but she wasn`t not using them either. Anyway, her path was clear and she wove around the other cars easily in her fast red car.

Her eyes were glowing a pale lime green, letting off an unnatural light. Yes, they glowed. Her mouth was set in a tight line, and her eyes were set on the road. She was speeding, too, as if everything else wasn`t enough. No one stopped her. No cops. Even though she passed a couple cars. It was like she wasn`t there at all.

She was on her way to the closest train station. She was going home. Today. There was nothing that could stop her, not when she was like this. She was determined to go home to Aiden. The sick feeling in her stomach was stronger than ever, and not because of all of the white chocolate she had eaten. There was still some left, but most of it was gone. She needed to be home. She needed to be around magic. Her skin thingled, as if something had brushed against her. It was driving her crazy, and she knew that being around other witches and wizards would solve it. But it was mostly Aiden that she needed. She needed him, and now more than ever.

~~~~~

Stacey was coming home at last. After being away for three weeks, she was finally coming back to where she belonged. Real power singed through her veins,her skin tingling with the simple powers of the wizards that surrounded her, and she could actually use it without getting in trouble. That thought made her giggle. But the thought that made her smile brightly and tremble was the fact that she was coming home to Aiden.

She sat on a train that was destined for Hogsmead. Stacey had sent a letter ahead of herself that told Aiden when and where to meet her. She was coming home. There was no way that she could ever apologize to Aiden about being gone. She had vowed to never let her mother separate them, and she hadn`t kept that promise. It wasn`t really all of her fault, though. Carrie had done everything in her Muggle power to bring Stacey home and get her to a shrink.

Thats what had taken so long, the doctor. And the visions. How was she going to tell Aiden about the visions? She had to. She wasn`t going to keep a secret from him like that. She would worry about that when the time came. Right now, the train was hissing into the station.

Stacey stood up and pressed her nose to the glass, trying to see him, but the smoke fogged everything up. "Come on, come on." She muttured, waiting for the director to say they were free to leave the cabin.

Aiden stood in the crowded, busy train station. It seemed long, too long since he had seen her. It felt horrible to be away from Stacey, his love. A day seemed like weeks to him, but three weeks?  It was unbearable to say the least. The hadn't been away from each other since they had first met. It was like something else was missing from him whenever she was away.

Aiden's eyes were bright, unusually bright.  His eyes were never this bright until he saw Stacey, but the fact that he was going to see her after being weeks away from each other made them the brightest they had been in a long, long time.  He stood upright, feeling very impatient as he paced back and forth.  He was finding it hard to sit still. 

Suddenly, a loud high pitched whistle sound in the distance.  Steam could be seen from the top of the train, and the tone could be heard getting closer.  After a few minutes of the train slowing down, it came to a stop in front of the station.  Aiden quickly pushed his way through the big crowd, and stood in the front as he anxiously waited for the large silver doors to open.

Stacey was all but bouncing up and down as she stared at the back of the conductor`s head. "Come one, come on." She whispered, clutching her bag in one hand. Her eyes were an impatient orange, but they had blue streaks in them. She was happy, but she would be happier when she was with Aiden.

The conductor blew a whistle and she jumped from the seat with a yelp. She almost ran into the silver doors, she got up so fast. She jumped off of the train and disappeared into the croud, running right into Aiden.

Aiden looked at Stacey, startled by the collision.  His heart almost skipped a beat as he met her magnificent eyes, the ones he had missed so much.  His stomache tightened again, but this time with joy. 

He quickly picked up Stacey, holding her tight in her arms.  He squeezed her in a warm hug, and spun around in a half-circle.  He didn't even want to let her go, never.  He grinned a brilliant smile, and leaned his head back to look at her face.  Aiden's teeth shined in the light along with his brightly golden eyes.
"You're back!"  Aiden explained the obvious as he still held her in his arms.

Stacey had gasped softly when she colided with Aiden, and she instinctively used her free hand to steady herself, holding onto his arm. She managed to wimper before Aiden picked her up.

She laughed, her eyes flashing bright blue. She was unaware of everyone else now, it was only him. "Yes, I`m back." She exclaimed softly, and it was her turn to hug him now. A large smile was spread across her face. She was home now.

Aiden held her up with much ease.  He stared at her eyes, finding peace in them.  When she hugged him, it made his heart pound in his chest.  However, not of these things he was aware of at the moment. 

Aiden held her close.  He leaned forward to kiss her gently, he couldn't help but grin as he did so.  His eyes shot brighter under his closed eyes.  He wasn't even paying attention to all of the people around them.  He didn't mind showing public affection to his wife.  He leaned back with a smile.
"I missed you so much."  He said truthfully.

Stacey grinned and looped her arms around him, putting her head on his shoulder. Her heart was beating quickly, but she didn`t know it. She could only think of him.

"I missed you more." She teased, her eyes switching from blue to light pink to green to orange, along with other bright colors. She was pressed against him, still in his arms. She didn`t care. She was his wife. This was where she belonged.

He gently rubbed his hand down Stacey's arm.  He'd missed this, he'd missed this alot.  Aiden was glad to have her back.  It was as if a part of him had came home, to where it belonged.
"How was it?"  He asked quietly.

Stacey winced slightly, her eyes pausing on a rather unpleasant green.
"My mom sent me to a shrink, Aiden. It wasn`t fun." She said, a frown on her face.

She leaned into Aiden, putting her head on his chest. She had missed him, too. She had missed his slightly warmer skin against hers, the way she knew exactly how she would fit against him. This was what she missed. The simple touching, talking, just being normal. She didn`t like being away from Aiden. She hated it, in fact.

Aiden leaned his head back.  It was obviously not a good trip, her eyes showed that if not her wincing.  He sat her down, wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug once more before leaning back, and taking her hand.  He motioned his head to a bench of the other side of the train station.  It would be quieter there for them to talk.

Aiden walked over there, holding onto his wife's hand.  He sat down slowly, and turned himself so he could show his full attention to Stacey.
"A shrink?"  He asked surprised.  His tone may have sounded angry to someone outside of the conversation.  "Why the hell did she do that?"
He meant no disrespect to her mother, but he knew Stacey didn't need to see a shrink.

Stacey smiled as Aiden suggested the bench. She sat beside him, but facing him. And she couldn`t help but grin broadly when he questioned her about her mother.

"Yes, she sent me to a doctor. And now that you mention it, I don`t really remember why she sent me. There was a reason, but..." Her voice trailed of and she shrugged. She started to figit nervously with her bag. This was where the hard stuff was going to come in.

[Miss Xantier]

awesome!

[Alexis]

Awesome, even if my horrible writing was in there.  =P

[potter_fan122]

It wasn`t horrible, Alexis! And I had to take some stuff out about his feelings and what was in his head. Stacey wouldn`t know that stuff, so I had to take it out. The next part will be up soon.

[potter_fan122]

Aiden leaned forward without realization of doing so.  He raised an eyebrow, looking curious.  He gently rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, edging her on.

He lifted his eyes to Stacey's.  They had turned to his natural dark shade of brown now.
"You don't remember...?"  He asked curiously.

Stacey paused for a moment, thinking.

"I... I think it was because of the dreams I had been having." She finally said. Did Aiden know about the dreams? She couldn`t remember if she had told him about them or not. He would freak out when he did know, nonetheless. She knew that much.

Aiden tilted his head more, then cleared his throat.  He frowned, a crease forming in his foread.  He looked like he had just figured something out.

Aiden looked at Stacey's eyes again, and she knew that he was trying to read her from them.
"Dreams?"  He inquiered.

Stacey looked down at her hands again with a guilty expression. It wasn`t like she was guilty about anything, but she felt bad for not telling him about the dreams. In person or by letter.

"Yeah, I started having these... dreams. But they aren`t like real... dreams." She answered slowly, choosing her words carefully. How would she tell him about Jonathan? And how would she question her father about her supposed uncle, for that matter?

Aiden watched her expression fall.  He looked a little off, like he was feeling sick.  He gently took her hand, holding it in his lap.

Aiden looked at her face, trying to find the right words to say.  He looked like he was being careful, like he had always been since the voices.
"Dreams...?  What are they of?"  He asked, his voice quiet.

Stacey chewed the inside of her lip, thinking of how to say it without making Aiden think it was much worse than it was.

"Well, they aren`t... dreams, really. They`re more like... visions. And... a man named Jonathan says that he`s my uncle." A man had paused a few feet away, seemingly looking at the train. He was too close for comfort. So she sent a burt of air towards him, making his hat fly away. Hee muttured under his breath and started to walk away quickly after his hat.

Aiden was watching Stacey, not really noticing her what she was doing with the wind.  He seemed distracted as he listened to her explain.  He hadn't known Stacey had an uncle, if it was true he didn't think Stacey knew either.
"And this guy, he didn't hurt you did he?"  He asked, sounding wary again.

Stacey`s eyes snapped back up to Aiden`s, and there was something subtle in her eyes. Something deep and fierce.
"No," She said firmly, "he didn`t hurt me. All he did was talk to me. He said that he was my uncle. I don`t believe him, but it was him who caused the voices." She clenched her jaw for a moment, very angry all of a sudden at a man she didn`t know.

She wouldn`t let anyone hurt her if she could help it. She was too hardheaded and controling for that, but it was against her values to let someone hurt her.

Aiden noticed her eyes change.  He swallowed the lump in his throat, and turned his head so he could look Stacey directly in the eyes.  He looked like he was concentrating on speaking, not getting lost in their colors.
"He caused the voices?"  He asked, his tone serious and getting louder.  "Then he did hurt you!"

"Aiden, no! I mean... I don`t know." Stacey exclaimed, getting looks from a couple of people. She leaned forward and rested her head on Aiden`s shoulder.

"Can you... make your questions more specific? I haven`t been getting a lot of sleep." She said after a moment, squeezing her eyes closed. The truth was, she hadn`t gotten any sleep really since her mother had called her home, but it was the most recent nights that had affected her the most.

Aiden took deep slow breaths, and she could tell that he was using it as a remedy to control his anger.  His eyes shot darker as a pounding began in his ears.  It wasn't until a few moments later he realized it was his own heart beat.  Aiden took a swift glance at the people around them.

He turned his head to Stacey, his eyes black with worry.
"Maybe we should talk somewhere."  Aiden pointed out quietly.
He didn't want to cause a scene here.  They would need to talk alone.

Stacey chewed the inside of her cheek nervously. She could tell that Aiden was angry and she leaned back so she could look into his eyes. It surprised her just how dark they were.

"I was about to suggest it." She said just as softly. She stood up carefully, looking down at Aiden, still holding his hand softly.

Aiden slowly walked after Stacey, holding her hand.  They wouldn't have to worry about her bags, he had gotten someone to take care of them for her.

He followed Stacey, looking down at the ground.  He wasn't paying attention to the large crowd around him, and she could tell that his mind was elsewhere.  He wasn't angry at Stacey, not at all.  He was angry at the man who did this, who was supposedly her uncle. Aiden ground his teeth together as he thought to himself.

[Alexis]

I love it.
=]

[potter_fan122]

((Sorry if there`s any confusion, but I just realized that I messed up the last two posts. Let me know if anything doesn`t make sense. And I`m telling you all now that I`m really disecting Alexis`s posts as Aiden, so don`t judge her posting on how I may make it look. Thanks, you guys, for reading!))

Part Four

I led Aiden silently, lost in my own thoughts. One thing that stood out was his anger. I could feel it like cold water over her skin. It made me unhappy to see Aiden like that. So as soon as they exited the train station, I stopped and turned to face him.

"Aiden, where do you want to go?" I asked slowly and softly, meeting his eyes with a concerned look.

He lifted his head, and led me towards the forest. He looked around, and saw that no one was near was in earshot. He took a deep breath, exhaling with a deep sigh.

Aiden stopped walking, and turned towards me.  He looked calmer now, but I could tell that he was still upset.  He seemed like he was waiting for me to say something.

I took a deep breath, my eyes on the ground.

"Aiden, I-- I don`t know what you want me to tell you. When my mon called me home, she never wanted me to come back. I`m not sure exactly what happened, but she sent me to a shrink. The dreams.... they were getting stronger. The voices were softer, but I have handle on them anyway. Then one night.... something happened. It was like a vision, but in dream form. I dreamed of you. Me and you. And... first I want to know if you dreamed that too."

That was the first time I had ever felt some sort of substance in a dream. It was important for her to know if he had felt it too, and that it wasn`t just Jonothan`s doing.

Aiden slowly entwined his fingers through mine, his eyes on our hands. He gently squeezed my fingers and looked into my eyes. There wasn't any place to sit down so they would have to stand.

"Well, I had dreams, but what was yours about?"  Aiden asked quietly, turning towards me completely.

I slowly took Aiden`s other hand and laced my fingers through that hand, too.

"Well, I don`t really know. We were just... together. It about about a week and a half after I had left. I know that I felt better after." I tried to explain softly. She hadn`t really paid much attention to that particular dream, she was too far in it. She had missed Aiden terribly, and had just been begging for a dream like that.

Aiden gave me a small smile.  He had mentioned very briefly once that when he did sleep and dream, all of them being about myself and him.  That's how it always was now since they spent most of their time together; it was expected.
"I had dreams, too.  All of them about different things."  He pointed out quietly.
"And of this guy...?"  He trailed off, not sure of his name.

I smiled slowly, but rested my head on his shoulder. I was getting a headache, and I was exhausted. All of the lack of sleep seemed to rest on me now.
"Aiden, like I said, I haven`t slept very well. You`ll have to make your questions a little more descriptive if you want a logical answer." I replied, looking up at him with a pained expression. I didn`t like having to ask this of him. It wasn`t just that I was showing weakness-- like my mother had raised me not to show-- but because I was showing it in front of Aiden. I didn`t want him to worry, even though I was.

Aiden watched me carefully then sighed.
"No."  He replied quietly, his tone serious.

He looked up at the sky, seeing it was almost sunset.  Aiden could most likely tell that I desperatly needed to sleep.  He tilted his head to one side, and caressed my cheek.

I took his hand from my cheek and squeezed it tightly.
"Aiden, really. You can ask your questions. I`ll be fine. I promise." I looked up at him, pure love in her eyes. I felt that Aiden more than deserved the answers to his questions than I needed sleep. I was, after all, the one who had left in the first place just because my mom had snapped her fingers at me.

Aiden lifted his finger, and put it up to my lips.  He looked at my eyes and watched different emotions run through them.  He squeezed my other hand as a reply.
"Yes, but my questions can wait.  Your health is my first priority."  He replied quietly. "First you need to get some sleep."

I sighed softly and closed my eyes for a moment. "Okay, my moon." I gave up, then stepped forward slowly and wrapped my arms around Aiden`s waist in a hug.

"I love you. I`m glad I`m finally home." I whispered. I really was tired, I just didn`t want to be.

Aiden slowly wrapped his arms around me, embracing me in a soft, gentle hug.  He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against my head.
"I love you, too."  He replied softly in my ear.

He tilted his head to one side.
"Do you want me to take you back to the dorms?"

I winced, then mentally kicked myself when I knew that he`d noticed.

"Please. And could you transpost us?" I was more tired than I want to admit. I opened her eyes and gave Aiden a pained look. I didn`t want him to worry about me, but that would mean lying to him. I wasn`t going to do that, either.

Aiden saw the look on my face, the look of pain and loss of fatigue.  His eyes suddenly flashed a darker shade, and he nodded.  He slowly wrapped his arms around me.
"Sure thing love."

Aiden closed his eyes, taking in a deep, slow breath.  He exhaled slowly and did this once more.  He closed his eyes, and suddenly it seemed like the world had fallen from beneath us. But when I opened my eyes we were in the Gryffindor common room.

I sighed again and opened my eyes.
"Thank you." I said softly, lowering myself onto the end of the couch.

"I`m sorry about all of this. I should have never left. This probably wouldn`t have happened if I didn`t let my mother control everything." I covered her face with her hands.

Aiden sat down next to me.  He wrapped his arm over my shoulder, the other around my waist.  He looked at me straight in the eye with his own dark brown eyes.
"Stacey, don't blame yourself.  I know it wasn't your fault."  He told me quietly.

He gently rubbed my shoulder.
"There is no need to apologize."

I took my hadns away from my face as Aiden rubbed my shoulder.
"Yes there is. I shouldn`t have left. If I would have stayed here, we`d both be happpy, and I probably wouldn`t have let those dreams work." I said in a rush.

"I don`t know what happened." I said before yawning largely.

Aiden embraced me gently as he watched me.  He would stay awake, but I needed to sleep.  I had already had a enough rough nights.
"Shh.."  He whispered in my ear quietly. 
He would let me sleep, knowing it was only a few moments until I would be under.

I yawned again, my jaw popping twice.
"I love you." I whispered before once more falling into the blackness of sleep.

[potter_fan122]

Part Five

I didn`t fall this time. No, this time in the dream-vision, I started out already on the floor. I was facing the mirror, my back tot eh rest of the room. I could see Jonathan in the glass, of course, but it isn`t exactly the same as facing him. I turned around in one fluid movement, just as I was trained to when I took all of thise years of self defense classes. Somehow they managed to forget to put in a class about how to deal with your sadistic supposed uncle.

"What now?" I asked, and instantly regreted it.

He didn`t yell at me. He didn`t hit me. He did nothing. He just glared at me. He was just standing there, his eyes an unnatural black, with his feet planted shoulder-width apart. That could either be a good thing, or a really, really bad thing. He smoothed down his light blue button-up shirt then crossed his arms. His blonde hair was just long enough to cover the top of his evil eyes, and I wasn`t going t look away.

I had been raised to stand my ground, and that`s exactly what I was going to do. My father had been a wolf Animagus, and a good one. I knew all of the rules about dominance.

I squared my jaw and planted my own feet, crossing my arms. If he was turely a Black, he wouldn`t attack with me like that. But I was scared silly, and I didn`t want him to know that.

Finally he spoke. His words were sharp and loud. I noticed again that the large men weren`t there, and I wondered idily for a moment about where they were. Of course, what did I know? They could still be here, just where I couldn`t see them. The only light came from the eight candles, and they weren`t exactly bright.

"You, young lady, have gotten stronger." He snapped. He was obviously extrememly angry, and that made me shiver, which made him smile for a moment. "As you`ve become closer to the wizard world, I have been unable to access your mind." He started to slowly circle me, like a wild animal playing with it`s prey before it ate it. "I can no longer see what you see. I can no longer hear what you hear. The last feed I got from you was that you were getting on a train to Hogsmead." He stopped pacing and glared at me.

He was closer to me, and I didn`t like that, but I was between him and the mirror.

"Sorry." I shrugged. "I missed my husband, so I went home." My tone probably could have been softer, but I couldn`t keep the edge from it.

Jonathan smirked angrily. "You little b!↕(h." He hissed. I shifted my weight to my other foot, glaring back at him.

"You know, calling me a b!↕(h isn`t exactly correct." I stated. My Animagus form is a snow leopard-- a cat-- not some mangy mutt." I narrowed my eyes at him, challenging him with an unspoken agreement that`s as old as time-- he who get s the last word wins. Or something along those words.

Jonathan laughed loudly, a laugh that made him lean his head back and close his eyes. I instinctively tensed, as if I would actually be stupid enough to attack him. But I still wasn`t ready for the hard blow against my cheek that sent me to the floor. My hand flew to my cheek. It throbbed with my pulse, but at least it wasn`t bleeding. I lay there, stunned, as Jonathan towered over me.

"You sniveling little thingyroach!" He roared. "You are your father`s daughter, d*mmit, exactly like him. The same little attitude that makes you think you`re better than everyone else--"

The dream ended there. The next thing I knew, I was gasping on the floor of the Gryffindor common room.