There was a man on the floor… a man sobbing into a burnt hearthrug at the foot of a chair.

And there was a giant snake circling the man, its eyes burning hungrily.

“You are in luck, Wormtail,” said a cold, high-pitched voice.  “You are very fortunate indeed.  Your blunder has not ruined everything.  He is dead.”

Wormtail lifted his head and opened his mouth soundlessly, saying words that could not be heard.

“I fear you are out of luck, Nagini.  I will not be feeding Wormtail to you, after all…  but there is still Harry Potter.”

The snake hissed at though in agreement.

“Now, Wormtail, perhaps one more little reminder as to why I will not tolerate another blunder from you…”

Wormtail’s eyes widened and he shook his head, his mouth forming soundless words quickly.  He threw himself forward but it didn’t help.

“CRUCIO!”

Wormtail screamed and with him Harry ‘Potter’ echoed his pain.

“Potter!  Potter!”

“Harry!”

< Harry! >

Harry opened his eyes to see Jardin, Niamh, and Draco leaning over him.  He could see the worried faces of Ginny, Thomas, and Amanda beyond them and beyond them the disgruntled faces of his Housemates and dormmates.

“Wake the whole House why don’t you, Potter?” grumbled Blaise.

“Shut up, Zabini!” snapped Ginny as Amanda leaned over Niamh’s shoulder and asked, “Are you okay, Harry?”

“Fine,” replied Harry.

“You didn’t look fine when you were rolling around on the floor screaming,” said Draco as everyone began to clear out of the room, muttering under their breath.  “With your hands on your scar no less.”

“I’m fine,” growled Harry, glaring at the other boy.

< Harry, > said Jardin, < you’re not fine.  I can feel it. >

Stay out of my head! snapped Harry.  Just stay out, Jar!

< I will then. >

The raven flapped his wings angrily and took flight out the open door of the dorm.  Harry cried out after him, immediately abashed for yelling at the bird.

“Jar!  Jar!  Dammit.”

Niamh looked worriedly at her friend then said, “You should get back to sleep.  You look horrible.”

Yeah, well, feeling Cruciatus through my scar isn’t much of a joyride, thought Harry bitterly as he pulled himself up off the floor and climbed back into his bed, jerking the curtains close behind him.  Niamh looked at the close curtains for a moment then began to usher everyone who didn’t belong out of the room.

As she passed Draco, she growled, “You keep an eye on him, Malfoy.  Or I’ll kill you.”

Draco simply looked calmly at her as she left, closing the door behind her, then doused the candles and climbed back into his bed.

He wasn’t the only Slytherin lying awake the rest of the night.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Something’s going to happen soon.  I’m sure of it.”

Severus nodded and looked at Dumbledore, who was watching Harry over his steepled fingers.  The three of them were seated in Dumbledore’s office the morning after Harry’s dream.  As it was Saturday, there were no classes to worry about.

“Did they say who was dead?” asked Severus.

Harry shook his head.  Then he looked up at his father and said, “But I think it was Mr. Crouch.”

Dumbledore let his hands fall and Severus stared.

“Why do you think that, Harry?” asked Dumbledore.

“Because he seemed out of it when Cedric and I found him – or rather when he found us.  When we was talking to ‘Percy’ he was going along normally.  But when he was trying to say something about you, professor, he had to struggle.”

Severus frowned and stroked his chin.

“It sounds like Imperius,” he said.  “But why Crouch?”

“A good question, Severus,” said Dumbledore, his eyes clouding behind his half-moon glasses.

“A good question indeed.”