He was running, but he didn’t know why. Everything around him was all blurred as he sprinted down the corridor and he was cold. Ever so cold. He swung left around a corner and found himself skidding to a halt.

In front of him was something unbelievable. Lying on the ground was Lupin, worn, tired, strained, bloody, wounded, and...and dead. He cried out in fear, in pure horror. No, he thought. Sirius was gone, not Lupin too. He dived forward, his hand groping around for Lupin’s pulse but it wasn’t there.

He was just lying in the middle of the corridor, dead. A wave of cold over came him as he crouched next to his dead friend. “Remus...” Harry moaned trying to shake him awake. He had to wake up! He couldn’t be dead. Yet, as he shook Remus a trickle of blood flowed out of the corner of Remus’s mouth and he knew the man was long gone.

Then a scream jolted him to his senses. He spun around; looking for the reason for the scream and another wave of cold over came him again. Shuddering, he jumped up, closed his eyes tight to rid himself of Remus’s lifeless body, and then took off running. He was following the scream.

As he skidded another corridor he arrived at the Entrance Hall what he saw made him plunged into horror. Standing in the Entrance Hall were all of his friends and several students he didn’t know, and in the middle was Dumbledore and the professors. However, they were surrounded by dementors, and everyone was dropping...even professors.

‘No,’ he shouted and he took off running quickly. He was fumbling with his wand, watching in horror as ten dementors swooped down and grabbed Dumbledore within their billowing robes. He had never heard Dumbledore scream before, but now he did. He screamed as every happy memory was ripped from his body.

His wand was falling out of his grasp. He was trying hard not to fall victim to the horrifying cold. He saw Ron and Hermione, grabbing each other, trying desperately to hold each other up and comfort each other, but they couldn’t last. They abandoned any spell to get rid of the dementors...they were too weak to conjure a patronus.

He had to help them. He could see Neville falling over an already limp form, lost to a world of despair. He shouted again and tried to run forward. McGonagall was trying in vain to pull the dementors off of the Headmaster, whose screams had stopped

He eyed the old man weary. He was weak and limp. He had never seen the man that way...it was horrifying. Then the dementors noticed him and they started to fly at him. He screamed in pain as his memories were whipped from his mind. He stumbled forward, his wand lost from his grip as he rolled the rest of the way down the marble staircase. He landed limply next to someone and glancing over he found it was Ginny.

She looked like Lupin with the exception of the blood. Limp, cold, and gone to the world. He cried out and tried to find a wand, any wand. He didn’t care whose, he just needed a wand.

Then...then, suddenly a figured draped in a black cloak appeared and grabbed him. Grabbed him hard and glancing around he could see Death Eaters, the ones that weren’t captured yet, swarming the school. The one with the black face dived forward and grabbed him by the hair, laughing.

He lifted his head so he could see, and what he saw was death. Students were dropping like flies, Dumbledore, having been engulfed by ten dementors was already gone, and that took all other students sense of security away. And he was forced to watch them all slowly drop into a subdued death.

‘NO!’ he screamed and tried to fight for a wand. Voldemort was gone; this wasn’t supposed to be happening. THEY WERE SAFE. But they weren’t...they never had been. Death Eaters that hadn’t been caught were pissed, angry beyond belief, and they had in their hands a power to get revenge, a way to give the world a taste of the Dark Lord. They weren’t safe, they never had been.

The black cloaked figure hissed darkly in his ear. Telling him to stop...and the voice was familiar. He couldn’t place it though. He had to fight though, get a wand, he couldn’t give it all up because a man in a black cloak.

Then, with one last jerk, his head was brought up and he was forced to watch as the dementors swooped in for their final attack, the deadly kiss. They grabbed everyone, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Justin, Malfoy, Dumbledore, Flitwick, Sprout, McGonagall, and everyone else. And they kissed them.

He screamed, screamed out no and tried to find a wand. His body was shaking, but he couldn’t find one. The black cloaked man just chuckled menacingly and thrust his head down so hard that he hit the ground with a crack.....................

CRACK!

Harry slammed right into something and stumbled backwards. His world was spinning and his head was caught in a whirlwind of loss. He just had a nightmare...he knew it, but he couldn’t place his finger on what happened. Something bad...yes, something bad and wrong and horrifying...but he couldn’t remember.

He shuddered darkly. He glanced around, desperately and realized he wasn’t even in Gryffindor Tower anymore. No, he was in some corridor, lying flat on the ground with a bloody nose from running straight into a wall. His was sweating like mad and it was drenched in cold sweat.

He shuddered again.

Then there were footsteps and Harry glanced around. To his horror his neck suddenly gave a violent jolt and Harry tried not to yell out. He clamped his hand on the necklace that Snape had tied around his next. He hadn’t gotten it taken off since that week; actually he had forgotten he was wearing it.

When he and Ginny had gone down to his office he wasn’t there, and whenever they tried for the next two days he was never there. So, in a way they had both forgotten. That had almost been a month and a half ago. And it had been a month and a half that Harry had been having weird dreams. Never so long and frightening, but nightmares nonetheless. He had, however, never walked out of the Tower before.

Harry was trying to climb to his feet, taking the jolting necklace as a warning, but they collapsed out from under him. It was too late anyway. The footsteps were on him in a matter of seconds.

A brittle hand grabbed his shoulder and dragged him to his feet. He turned around to find himself face to face with Professor Gary.

“What are you doing out of bed?” the man demanded. Harry was surprised to see he was looking straight at him. Usually he was looking to the left.

“Sleepwalking,” Harry mumbled. There was no other explanation. He had to have been sleepwalking.

“Hmm...well get back to your Tower and I won’t take points off. And get that nose looked at...what’d you do? Run into a wall?” Gary looked odd as he stared at Harry and Harry found it uncomfortable. “Run along,” he suddenly ordered, giving Harry a bit of a push.

“Err—alright,” Harry mumbled. He picked at the necklace as he stumbled away. Why was Snape warning him of Gary? Or did he just think Harry was out and getting into trouble again? Harry didn’t get to talk to Snape much. They had to cancel the Chess Lessons because of all the things Snape was doing and because of all of Harry’s homework. It appeared all the teachers had put off the homework until the end of the year.

Once he was back in the Gryffindor Common Room, he found Peeves waiting for him, hanging upside down. Harry thought for a moment he saw the oddest flash of relief and concern on the poltergeist’s face, but he was surely mistaken.

“Potter,” was all Peeves said before taking off and not a second too soon because Ginny, Ron, and Hermione all came stumbling down the boy’s dormitory stairs toward him.

“Where have you been?” Ron demanded just as Harry opened to ask his friends about Peeves.

“Sleepwalking, how’d you know I was gone?” Harry said instead.

“Ginny,” said Hermione. “She came scampering into my room, saying we needed to check on you and then ran off. Did you have another nightmare?”

“Yes, and this time I ended up halfway through the school. Professor Gary found me. He’s different at night, he doesn’t look left.” But his friends shook off those last words and instantly demanded to know about the nightmare. Harry couldn’t tell them much, because he didn’t remember much.

However, soon they were all sitting in the Common Room, struck in a deep silence.

“You never sleepwalked before when you had nightmares...why now?” Ron muttered and Harry shrugged. Ron had caught Harry several times sleepwalking out of the dormitory. Hermione walked over and cuddled with Ron.

“The necklace woke me,” Ginny whispered in Harry’s ear.

“He hasn’t used it in almost a month and a half now and then he just randomly does.” Harry muttered. “Don’t know why...I wasn’t getting into trouble and Gary’s hardly worth a warning. You think he just muttered the word in his sleep?”

“I hope not because I don’t like being jolted out of my sleep. It was horrifying because I couldn’t remember I was wearing it. I swear next time I catch him alone, he’s taking it off. A week was too long, but a month and a half!” She sat down in annoyance and looked around. Harry had a feeling they weren’t going to leave the Common Room tonight.

He stared into the fire, trying to make sense of the nightmare but it was too jumbled up. He liked it better when they were just usual nightmares, he could remember them and he wasn’t sleepwalking into walls.

Sighing, he glanced around and found Ron and Hermione asleep and curled into one another and Ginny lying comfortably on the couch. Harry knew he wouldn’t get to sleep anytime soon so there was no point trying.

888

Morning arrived quickly and Harry woke up his friends before their classmates could walk in on them. Ron grunted and tried to punch Harry but his friend dodged and went to take a shower.

Finally, they were walking groggily into the Great Hall for breakfast. In the Entrance Hall Harry paused and had an uncomfortable feeling as he glanced around. He shuddered. It was something to do with the nightmare that much he was sure of.

All day Harry was having a hard time concentrating on anything. Transfiguration was a complete disaster when Harry accidentally transformed his rat into an alligator head instead of an owl. McGonagall was not pleased but Ron found it hilarious.

On his way to Potions he found himself behind the others. A small boy was whimpering because his bag was torn and his parchment and quills were everywhere. Harry glanced ahead, found his friends already gone and paused to help him.

“You OK?” Harry asked, not bothering to see what house he was in.

“I’m going to be late and lose House Points and Professor Snape’s going to kill me. He said if I lost any more house points today I’d be in detention for a week.” The boy whimpered and Harry raised an eyebrow. He glanced up for the first time and realized that he was in Slytherin.

“Oh? And how many house points have you lost today?” Harry asked in a conversational tone.

“Around seventy,” Harry started a bit and corked his eyebrow higher.

“How’d you do that?” Harry demanded and the boy flushed.

“I yelled at a Professor, Professor Binns to be exact, he was getting something wrong, something I would know...about Norway...and I tried to correct him. He wouldn’t listen so I shouted at him.” The Slytherin boy grinned sheepishly and Harry chuckled.

“Well that should be marked done as a good deed, that ghost hasn’t been corrected in years and if he needed a correction the ones able to do so were always asleep. Here...” he reached forward, took the boy’s bag and muttered a spell to re-sew it.

“Thanks,” he gasped and Harry nodded. And for the first time the boy glanced at him properly. Seeing that he was Gryffindor, at least not Harry Potter, was surprising.

“Get to class, take all shortcuts and if the teacher asks, say Harry Potter can vouch for why you’re late. And if they ask where I was going, say Snape’s. They can’t argue that.” Harry smiled and the boy in a bit of numb surprised nodded, muttered incoherently and took off running.

“Sometimes Potter, I don’t understand you.” A drawling voice commented and Harry glanced up to Malfoy standing in the shadows.

“Malfoy,” Harry snarled a bit and made to get up. “Just helping him, he looked like he was about to cry. And detentions from Snape aren’t fun.”

“I know, Potter.” Malfoy snarled. “I’m just a bit surprised that you helped him...guess it’s something to do with your good-boy side.” Harry snarled darkly and Malfoy cackled.

“I just figured he needed some help nothing with being a good-boy.” Harry swung around and made to walk off.

“Wait! Potter!” Malfoy called out and rather reluctantly Harry turned back toward him.

“What?” Harry demanded. “I’m going to be late and I’m not up for a duel right now.” That was when Harry realized Malfoy’s usual bodyguards weren’t flanking him.

“Nothing,” Malfoy snapped again and Harry raised an eyebrow. The blonde boy made to step past him but Harry blocked him.

“Tell me, we’re already late, might as well make it worth it to face Snape’s wrath.” Harry muttered and for a minute he thought he saw Malfoy’s lips twitch into a smile.

“I’m just having problems,” Malfoy admitted surprising Harry.

“Well, I’m no help...I have enough of my own.” Harry said but Malfoy shook his head.

“I wouldn’t come to you anyway Potter, not about these...” he trailed off, adverting his eyes. Harry was surprised to see Malfoy this way. He must be bothered, if he was willing to talk to Harry Potter about it.

“Then why are we talking like this in the corridor, almost five minutes late for Potions?” Harry demanded snidely. Almost like Snape.

“I’ve seen you...you go to Snape.” Harry raised an eyebrow angrily.

“Spying, eh? So you can go off and tell you father about the traitor Death Eater and the bloody Boy-Who-Lived!” Harry snarled, again in a Snape-like manner. Malfoy glared and for a second Harry saw something flash through the boy’s eyes at the mention of his father. Somewhere inside of Harry, it dawned on him. This was about Malfoy and his father. How odd.

“I knew I shouldn’t’ve even tried,” Malfoy muttered darkly. “Little Potty can’t get passed anything can he? You and you mudblood, muggle loving friends just can’t do anything.”

“Don’t talk about my friends that way, Malfoy!” Harry snapped.

“Why not, it’s true!” Malfoy hollered back and Harry glared. It was true, with Malfoy, he and his friends couldn’t see past what they’ve grown to know of him.

“It’s the same with you,” Harry muttered and Malfoy for a few wild seconds looked about ready to curse Harry, then he just nodded. “Fine, then, you obviously have a problem that you want my help with somehow...so let’s make a deal. A truce...for now. A starting over point...just for this brief moment in time and afterward not a word of this conversation is mentioned. Ok?”

Malfoy studied Harry for a minute. “Why? Why must you help so much?”

“You came to me,” Harry pointed out with a sheepishly shrug.

“Fine, but only because we’ll never breath a word of this again.” Harry nodded and struck out his hand.

“Hi, I’m Harry Potter, nice to meet you.” Malfoy growled a bit but took the hand anyway and shook it.

“Draco Malfoy, nice to meet you too.” Malfoy said politely.

“Now, you have a problem with you father...how may I assist you?” Harry asked in a mock, almost secretary voice. Malfoy tried to hide an amused smile.

“H-how’d you know it was about my father?” Malfoy asked and Harry shrugged.

“Saw the flash in your eyes...so?” Harry prompted while Malfoy studied him closely.

“Again, I’ve seen you go to Snape,” he pause but Harry made no comment. “And you get help from him.” Harry nodded a bit. “H-how do you do that?” Harry started and couldn’t help but gap.

“Are you serious? I mean, he’s your Head of House, can’t you just go in and talk to him?” Harry asked and Malfoy shook his head.

“That’s just it; he’s my Head of House. Head of Slytherin! Slytherins don’t have problems or weaknesses.” Malfoy snarled and Harry laughed. “Stow it!” the blonde boy snarled and Harry tried to calm down.

“It’s just...what the hell do you mean Slytherins don’t have problems or weaknesses? You’re human! All humans have those things. Who cares what house you’re in! Doesn’t mean a damn thing when it comes to problems!” Harry informed and Malfoy’s eyes widened a bit and then went back to normal. Obviously he hadn’t thought of it that way.

“Listen, Draco Malfoy, it doesn’t matter what house you’re in. If you’ve got a problem, and need to talk about it...go to someone. I know Snape’s...a bit hard to approach...trust me on that...but he’ll help. And knowing you...you’re probably exactly like I am when it comes to needing help. Don’t want it, but need it, so go to the one person who won’t be motherly, wrong, or annoying...”

“Go to Snape,” Malfoy grinned this time. A real grin as he caught Harry’s flow of word. “Are you sure? He won’t...won’t mind?” Harry had never seen Malfoy so insecure and unsure.

“He helped me, the bane of his existence, I’m sure he’ll be more then willingly to help a Slytherin. Plus, now he’s use to it, so when you go to him...he won’t be shocked.” Harry grinned sheepishly. He could still Ginny’s description of Snape’s shock when she walked in looking for help. “Listen,” Harry said still seeing Malfoy’s disbelief. He could understand it...this was a Slytherin seeking help, not common, from Snape, another obscure thing. It was amazing Ginny, and the others have done it. Harry still hadn’t talked to Snape about too much.

“Listen,” Harry said again. “Just try it...the worst that will happen is a jar of newts will fly at you and you’re a Quidditch player so I’m sure you’ll be able to dodge it.” Harry grinned and Malfoy shook his head.

“If this is what you’re always like with your friends, I can understand why they’re always fighting.” Malfoy muttered.

“That’s my job,” Harry muttered sarcastically. He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with Malfoy let alone it staying civil. Malfoy must’ve realized this too judging by the sudden look on his face.

“Alright, I’ll go to him...but if he throws two jars and I get hit by the second one, I’m hunting you done. And if he kills me, I’m haunting you.” Harry grinned and nodded.

“Deal,” Harry said and with that he made to leave but the blonde boy stopped him.

“Listen, knowing that this conversation will be forgotten once we get to the classroom, I feel I can be a bit out of character and say I’m sorry...for all the insults to your friends. It’s just hard to resist and you and Weasley anger so easily.” Malfoy grinned wickedly and Harry gaped. Malfoy just apologized to him. Not that it matter too much because this conversation would be forgotten, but in a way it wouldn’t.

“Right, and sorry that I’m such a git sometimes. I can’t vouch for Ron though.” Malfoy nodded and together they headed toward Potions, fifteen minutes late. They accepted the apologizes, though they knew they wouldn’t effect their attitude in the future toward each other.

“Just talk to him...you’ll be surprised. He’ll listen.” Harry muttered and Malfoy nodded.

“This conversation never happened,” Malfoy murmured and Harry nodded. “Who should go in first? If we go in at the same time...” he trailed off and Harry nodded.

“I’ll go in second, wait five minutes so it’ll look that we were nowhere near each other.” Malfoy nodded thankfully and waited until Harry had rounded the corner out of sight before slipping in. Snape didn’t yell or comment.

Harry was a bit surprised by the conversation, truth be told. He never thought Malfoy had it in him. Though he remember those brief seconds in the robe shop before first year when he and Malfoy had talked civilly. It had was mostly house rivalries that did it really. And house prejudice. He wondered what it would’ve been like if he had been put in Slytherin. How different things would’ve been.

Finally, five minutes passed and Harry walked toward the Potions classroom, to his doom. Snape would be furious, and he was.

“Mr. Potter do you not have a watch, a sense of time, or for that matter ears!” Snape snarled when he walked in. “You’re around twenty minutes late to class! I don’t even want to hear the excuse. It’ll be dribble and lies anyway. Detention with McGonagall and forty points from Gryffindor, double the minutes you were late.” He paused, his face pure venom. “Well, are you just waiting for more attention and fame to knock down the door? Get to work. The Golden Boy doesn’t get to out of work for any reason.”

Harry glowered; he hated it when Snape called him Golden Boy or talked to him about his fame. Whipping around, he retreated to the back of the classroom, next to Ron. Malfoy caught his eye and for a lingering moment their truce was there and Malfoy’s face was apologetic. It clearly said that he should’ve come in second.

But that was only a lingering second and it was replaced with the usual taunting, smug face. “Potty and his fame,” he snarled and his Slytherins sniggered.

“Mate, where’d you get to?” Ron hissed as Snape began to stalk the classroom.

“I was helping a student with his bags and then...I lost track of time.” Harry finished of lamely and Hermione shot him a suspicious look.

“You just shouldn’t’ve come...just skived off. Would’ve been better then detention and lost house points.” Ron muttered as Snape stalked by.

“Nah,” Harry shook his head and Ron muttered mental before slinking off to get some more ingredients. Hermione crept over.

“Malfoy was late too,” she pointed out.

“Do I truly care?” Harry asked and Hermione shrugged.

“Malfoy’s never late, nor are you. And the one day you’re late, he’s late. Did you to get in a fight?” she demanded. “You only came in five minutes apart.” Harry was aware of Snape pausing behind them and Malfoy tensing up before them.

“Hermione, I didn’t even see Malfoy. So what if he’s late and I’m late. Snape’s right, I need a bloody watch. I started to think and wander and lost myself.” Hermione corked an eyebrow and Malfoy relaxed. So much from absolute trust from the boy about their conversation.

“Think about what?” Hermione demanded. Harry searched for a suitable answer. One that she would believe. He opened his mouth to say school work and realized that that wouldn’t work.

“The nightmare,” Harry informed and Hermione sighed.

“Harry you don’t remember it, and you’ve been having them everyday so far. It’s probably the same thing as the others. Try not to dwell.” Hermione lectured.

“That’s just it ‘Mione! It isn’t the same. This one was longer, and it struck closer to home then somewhere in the desert. This one was here, at Hogwarts, I’m sure of it! And it was different. I never sleepwalk that far, and I remember shoving my head down into the ground just as I ran into the wall!” Hermione grounded her teeth slightly.

“I don’t know, Harry. Why now? Why are you having nightmares now? It just doesn’t make sense. You haven’t had any for a long time and suddenly you’re having them. Yet, the only one you think matters, is the only one you can’t remember!” Hermione frowned and looked her Potion.

Beside her, Harry began to sway. He just caught a thick smell of unicorn hair which if smelled too closely by someone especially distracted and tired, caused that one person to faint.

“Lupin’s here, he came yesterday but you were at Quidditch. You should speak to him. I think he came to talk to you. He can help you with these nightmares, and Professor Snape might be able to help you with sleepwalking. It isn’t safe you for to sleepwalk around the castle.”

“We thought we were safe, but we’re not.” Harry murmured under his breath as he swayed a bit more. His potion was slipping in and out of focus.

“What are you talking about, Harry, we’re safe.” Hermione snapped.

“They’re kissing them all,” Harry mumbled and Hermione started.

“What?” she was too involved in her potion to look up at the moment and if she had she would’ve seen Harry slipped out of consciousness and fall head first into his potion. There was a splash, but Snape who was talking to a Slytherin a few rows over, and Ron and Neville who were arguing and Hermione who was involved in her potion didn’t notice that Harry was drowning in his potion.

Then, suddenly, Peeves came swooping in. Snape straightened up and hollered at the poltergeist.

“Stop breaking my wards and get out, Peeves!” Snape hollered but Peeves paid him no heed. He swooped forward and with a twirling somersault, he grabbed the drowning Harry by his hair and jerked him backwards.

Everyone stared as Peeves saved Harry’s life. They weren’t sure which was more of a shock: Peeves saving Harry’s life, or the fact that Harry’s life had been in danger and they were oblivious to it. Malfoy acted first, he dived forward and with his wand cleaned Harry’s face of the potion and then Snape flew forward, grabbed Harry as Peeves dropped him.

“Granger and Malfoy, you’re in charge while I’m gone!” Snape declared and he took off. Except he didn’t go to the Hospital Wing, Harry wouldn’t live long enough to get there, no he dived into his personal chambers and dumped Harry on his bed.

Before flooing Madame Pomfrey, telling her to get there, and then setting to work on Harry himself. The boy had been drowning a clogging potion and his breath was no longer coming.

Yet, as Snape labored over Harry, Harry was caught in another nightmare. The same one as the night before...the one with the dementors. Yet, this time when his head was bashed into the ground, he didn’t wake up. No, the black cloaked figure left him moaning on the floor to go sort out some other things and Harry turned.

.........

There were the dungeons doors and he knew he had to go into them. Something was pulling him down there and he had to go down there. His head was reeling, the soulless bodies seemed to be swimming, but he had to get into the dungeons for some reason.

He pulled himself up, and began to walk, oblivious to everyone and everything that drifted by him. No one seemed to notice him and as he reached the dungeons he felt an odd chill.

A chill of foreboding crossed him as he stumbled into the dungeons but he kept walking. He would later wish he had never walked down there. For as he turned a corner, he saw something so horrifying that he was frozen to the spot, and a horrified scream escaped him.........

Harry sat up quickly, catching himself in mid-scream, drenched in cold sweat, and choking for breath. Arms instantly grabbed him and pulled him back down. With a jolt, Harry realized he didn’t have a clue of where he was.

Lupin was pushing him back down in the bed, with a sad face, and the gloomy room had dancing shadows.

“Harry...Harry are you OK?” Lupin asked and Harry nodded mutely. He had a nightmare again, he was sure of it, but he couldn’t remember what it was. Something horrifying though.

“W-where am I?” Harry crooked and Lupin smiled grimly.

“Professor Snape’s chambers,” he chuckled slightly at Harry’s face. “You passed out into your clogging potion and wouldn’t’ve made it to the Hospital Wing...so Professor Snape brought you in here. You’ve been out for almost a whole day. Gave us all a fright.”

“I-I passed out into my clogging potion?” Harry echoed and Lupin nodded grimly.

“Yes, are you okay? Don’t feel clogged anywhere do you?” Harry shook his head and Lupin sighed in relief.

“When’d you come?” Harry asked, a smiled creeping his face. It was good to see Lupin again.

“Last night, but you were at Quidditch practice. Here on a special request for Dumbledore. Trust me; it wasn’t good being told that you passed out into your clogging potion. A bit horrifying really.” Lupin’s face looked pained. “Why were you screaming?”

“I had a nightmare, but I can’t remember what it’s about.” Lupin shrugged a bit in a way that said not to dwell on it, but Harry couldn’t help but dwell.

Harry opened his mouth to say something when suddenly the doors to the room opened in bolted Hermione, Ginny and Ron, followed by a glowering Snape.

“Oh good! You’re awake!” Hermione cried out and she dived onto Harry in a tight hug.

“Let go, ‘Mione!” Harry cried out muffled and Ron pried her off.

“Hey, mate, good to see you awake.” Ron smiled and Harry nodded back. Snape glanced between them, his face pulled a disgusted look and Lupin catching this jumped up.

“Let’s—err—go Severus and get some food.” Lupin suggested and before Snape could respond, Lupin dragged him out.

“Mate, you won’t believe what happened!” Ron declared once Snape and Lupin were gone.

“You passed out into you clogging potion,” Hermione began. “And no one noticed!”

“Then, Peeves came swooping in and dragged out. You were drowning.” Ron commented.

“Then, Malfoy dived forward and cleaned you face of the potion so no more could get in. And Snape took action.” Hermione concluded and Harry blinked.

“I don’t know which is more odd...Peeves saving you, Malfoy helping, or Snape allowing you to use his chambers.” Ron said dazedly and Harry shrugged, not knowing which either. But in a way, he’d have to say Peeves. Ginny seemed to think the same thing, but she didn’t say anything.

They talked of everything else beside the incident and they would’ve kept talking if Snape hadn’t stalked back in and sent them scampering. Once they were gone, it was only Snape and Harry left.

“Err—thanks for helping me,” Harry mumbled and Snape raised an eyebrow.

“Drink this Mr. Potter,” he ordered and without a question Harry drank the potion he was given. Snape then sat on the edge of bed and studied Harry closely. “You were having a nightmare.” It wasn’t a question. “Care to enlighten me on what it was about?”

“I don’t remember,” Harry mumbled. “Only bits and pieces and even those are blurred.”

“How long have you been having nightmares?”

“Why do you ask?” Harry asked wonderingly.

“There’s only one way you could’ve passed out from smelling unicorn hair, and that’s not enough sleep. And you were having a fit in here earlier. No other way to explain it.” Snape snarled.

“I’ve been having nightmares for almost a month and a half now.” Harry muttered sleepily.

“Why didn’t you come for a dreamless sleeping potion?” Snape demanded and Harry shrugged. It really hadn’t crossed his mind. “Hmm...nightmares for such a long time. Sleepwalk any?”

“You should know,” Harry mumbled and Snape raised his eyebrow.

“How so?” he demanded dryly.

“Last night...well my last night...you...” but Harry trailed off as Snape moved a bit so that the light reflected off of him differently. Harry’s mind whirled for a moment and terror flooded through him. Snape must’ve caught this look.

“Potter!” Snape said curtly as Harry seemed to slip dazedly between thoughts. “Potter!”

“H-how is it possible?” Harry mumbled.

“What?” Snape demanded hotly.

“Y-you’re part dementor...” Harry mumbled and Snape’s face paled and wide in horror. “How’s that possible...it’s not...but you are.” Snape was trembling but Harry didn’t know why. How could someone be part dementor?

“H-how’d you find out?” Snape demanded and Harry blinked.

“It c-can’t be true...no...it can’t. Not possible.” Harry was dazed and in a flash Snape had him by the front of his robes.

“How’d you know?” he hollered and Harry winced. Snape’s eyes flashed darkly and the temperature dropped a bit.

“How can you be?” Harry asked again.

“I’m not part...stupid boy. Dark lord liked to invent things with potions, and he made me drink one potion. It gave me Dementor traits, but not in the way the Dark lord wanted it too. I’m not part dementor...I just have some traits that I can call up...how’d you find out. NOT EVEN THE HEADMASTER KNOWS!” Snape shouted but that was too much for Harry to handle. He passed out.

Snape dropped him back on the bed and buried his head into his hands.

“Damn Voldemort!” he snarled. “And his experiments!” Snape hollered and Harry winced slightly. It had just been a potion, Voldemort tried his potions on everyone, and Snape was no exception. The Dark Lord wanted to make a human dementor, so he tested his first experiment on Snape, because Snape had said it wasn’t a smart idea.

But it didn’t turn Snape into a human dementor; it just gave him traits of a dementor. Potions like that weren’t unknown; people took them to get traits of vampire, dragons, goblins, giants, anything. Snape just now carried a few dementor traits, but he didn’t suck out people’s souls or steal happy thoughts. He just had some traits...some that him in bad moods or very weak periods everything very cold and his face could hollow out darkly.

It was his belief that Sebastian Jones also had these traits and more, those giving him leverage over the dementors. To the dementors, Snape was a worthless one that needed to be killed. He would be slaughtered in Azkaban.

Now...now, Harry knew...the one person in the world he didn’t want his secret known to. He liked it better when people thought of him as vampire or something.

But Harry knew. What’s going to happen now? And for the first time in a long time Snape cried. He didn’t like to think about the traits, they weren’t him, they were just a potion. But it almost too much to even know that he had dementor traits.

Unknown to him, Harry had slowly came back to reality and he watched, rather dazedly as Snape cried. He knew he should’ve done something, but he couldn’t...not knowing what he knew. It was too horrifying.

Slowly, the potion Snape gave him took over and he drifted back asleep.