Just as lightning lit up the sky and Snape was experiencing the remembered pain of the call of the Dark Lord, the lightning cut through into Harry's dreams. His scar, the real scar, cracked as a single drop of blood escaped.

Harry was choking. He couldn't move but he could see the slithering body of a great snake twisting itself around his frame. He tried to struggle, but the snake's coils only tightened more.

"Harry Potter..." a voice hissed seductively in his ear and he shuddered. "Don't think you can essssscape me sssssoo easssily boy! I promisssse you that time will not ssssseparate ussss!"

Laughter wrapped around his senses and he found himself falling, spinning through a dark void until he found himself tumbling painfully down a set of stairs.

"Harry! Harry, my boy where are you?"

Harry could hear his godfather, Sirius calling him, but he seemed lost in the maze of a darkened house he'd never seen before. The only light was the poor light of old-fashioned gaslamps upon the walls. The house smelled of dust, musty things, things long forgotten. "Sirius! I can't find you!" Harry's panicked voice cried out as he turned a corner.

He was quickly enveloped by strong arms that embraced him. Harry slipped his arms around Sirius Black, losing himself in the hug, afraid to let go. It was Sirius who began to pull away slightly and he drew Harry's chin to look up at him. Sirius looked down into the green eyes, the last remnant of a beautiful and vibrant woman; Harry's mother. Tears unshed glistened in the eyes.

"Tell me what's wrong, Harry." Sirius said softly.

"I don't want to lose you, Sirius. Not after I found you. But... I... " he sniffed and scrubbed his face with his hand.

Sirius drew Harry into a small parlor where a fire was the only light. He settled the boy down upon the settee. "You want to stay, don't you?" Harry just simply nodded. "Do you want to stay because you'll escape Voldemort?"

"I want to escape who I am!" the boy declared vehemently. "I don't want to be The-Boy-Who-Lived anymore. I just want to be a simple kid going to school. Let someone else take down Voldemort. I'm tired of it all."

Sirius looked down upon the boy, the child who was so small, yet destined to face the darkest wizard he'd ever known. He sat down beside his godson and slipped an arm over his shoulder. He spoke softly, "You do know, Harry, that you're never alone. You have me, you have your friends, and I hate to admit it, but you even have that old bastard Slytherin, Snape."

"You're joking!" Harry's green eyes glittered dangerously at Sirius.

"I'm not, Harry. You need to realize the precarious position that Severus is in."

"Precarious? He hates me, Sirius!" Harry shrugged off his godfather's comforting embrace.

"He doesn't hate you, Harry! I wish he did... oh how I wish he did because this would be so much easier. Everything would be in black and white. It isn't, though. Harry, Severus Snape had good reason to despise me, Remus and your father. But look at where he is. Think to what Dumbledore has told you of the man."

Harry tried. He really tried to see what Sirius was telling him, but he couldn't. The frustration was written upon his face and he looked helplessly at Sirius. Sirius smiled at him and drew him close, ignoring Harry's momentary stiffness. "Never mind it, then. But do remember this, Harry, you will not be alone in this war. There are many who care about you that will help you. Just... just let them know when you need help."

"But I'm the one who is the Cho..." he couldn't say 'Chosen One'. The words were like ash upon his tongue. Sirius released Harry for a moment and went to a wardrobe that was out of place in this room. Harry frowned as he watched his godfather opening it. He soon remembered where he'd seen the wardrobe; it was the one in his room in the guest wing.

Sirius handed Harry the book he'd stolen from the library. "Love, Harry. You don't even need to read that book to realize the power that love is. You know that Voldemort couldn't kill you as a baby because of your mother's love. It is love, love of your friends and everyone that surrounds you that will matter. You will lead the fight, but you will NOT be alone."

Harry took the book and turned it over and over in his hands. "I'm just... I'm so afraid, Sirius."

Sirius gathered Harry into his arms and ran his fingers through the boy's unruly, black hair. "Fear can be good and it can be bad, Harry. When you're afraid, let them know so they can help you."

Harry let the words sink in as his godfather began to gently rock him. He couldn't talk anymore and just wanted this single moment. Even if it was a dream. Before he knew it, the dream faded away and he was sleeping peacefully.