Gosh.. Here it is! And it's not even Friday

Chapter Forty-One: Never In My Wildest Dreams

*** Phoenix Glade

I awoke with a severe headache. The last thing I remembered was being.. Killed?! That made no sense, I heard. Well in a way, I heard my self die. I should be dead right now. Unless, then it came upon me like ice water. Was this what happened when someone died? It felt like I was soaring on storm clouds surrounded by freezing black shadows, whispering all around me that was driving me crazy. Was this death or was this some weird place? I then noticed I was lying down. Slowly and carefully I stuck my arms near my waist shifted my weight to them then pushed up in to a sitting position and then stood up to see if I could see anything around me.

I saw the silhouette of a mountain far away under the dim light that spread across this whole desert, I guess you could call the, and shattered the darkness barely, showering everything with orange rays. I walked at first towards the mountain, then ran. But no matter how far I went, it seemed to be running from me, I was lost inside this place. I felt as if I was in a endless cage, waiting for the monsters to be unleashed upon me. I felt vulnerable to those monsters that were coming, I felt as if I could easily be ripped to pieces by there claws and jaws. I felt everything and nothing at the same time. I felt imprisoned for eternity.

I decided to rest for a while, calm myself. To try and stop the panic that was spreading through me like a wild fire. But no matter how much I tried it spread further attacking my heart as if trying to break it. I suddenly heard a voice. It was warming, soft and sounded like it was calling for me to come back home. Though I was confused in which direction it was coming from. I peeled my eyes and ears to find the source of the melody, but it refused to show itself. I knew I had heard it before, but it was inhuman and different, I knew as a mortal I had never heard it, yet it remained familiar.

'It' remained singing for me, and I kept turning in spot lost and empty. I tried moving forward but then the singing was more distant, I went back in the direction I came from originally but it still sounded far off. I moved left, then right. But still the same happened, it couldn't be coming from below me. That was a idiotic idea! But, slowly I moved my eyes upwards and was graced with a immortal beauty and realized what was spreading the orange rays across the smokey fields. It's light emitting from it's body was majestic and wondrous. It was the essence of everyone's wildest dreams, I was rooted in place unable to move, breath or speak.

I wanted to reach out and touch the phoenix but it remained in the air singing for, or at, me. I was again befuddled, wondering what I should do. So I remained standing there entranced in it's flawless form, details and it's icy eyes that stood out like silver against it's fiery colored feathers. Only just gazing at it I felt my heart begin to warm the very cockles of my heart. When it stopped singing for a split second I let out a deep breath I didn't notice I was holding. It suddenly turned to face me then dove towards me, the light was unbearable so I was forced to squeeze my eye lids shut and turn my head away as it sped at me, curiosity overcame the well being of my eyes and I looked directly at the phoenix as it crashed into me. Everything went black.

*** Silvery Skies

As soon as my brown eyes opened I was surprised to see that I was on a boat that was.. Flying across the starry skies, the boat was a sleek silver matching the odd colored stars which reminded me of tiny silver studs that were played out perfectly in the sky creating all sorts of designs. The moon was full and it was also silver against the velvety raven black skies. I cringed in fear as I felt something fall on to my bare shoulder, only then did I notice I was draped in seamless black silk halter neck dress. It reminded me of a funeral, which reminded me that I was dead. I then saw there was a drop of pure water laying on my pale skin, and then it started raining harder, the coldness bit at me like thin daggers of steel, the water changed to sleet.

I was quickly drenched just standing there at the edge of the boat, which was either steering itself or there were invisible people doing the job. I turned and ran to the cabin below the back deck, but it was locked and I could not enter, then silvery lightning struck the side of the ship, and it started to fall. I screamed in terror. Even if I was dead I didn't want to die again. That made no sense so I stopped thinking that I was about to 'die' and started to wonder why I was so strange. When I looked down I saw a sea of all the people I loved, dead. My heart shattered into a million crystal pieces as the boat suddenly pulled up repairing itself.

As the boat continued on course I asked myself repetitively what I did to deserve such a fate as this? Even as I glanced at the dark sky I saw the faces of the ones I loved, haunting my very eyes. I couldn't tell if I was ever going to escape this fantasy, this world, or if this was really what being dead was like. I almost drove myself to madness hanging on the railing to support my legs which had been drained of all there strength and energy, I felt a burning streak on my cheek and moved my hand to touch it only to find I was crying. Me crying?! No that's impossible, I hardly ever cried. I had to be strong for myself, I hadn't cried in nearly eight months. But I knew there was no way to stop those tears welling up in my bland eyes. So I succumbed to the sorrow.

After what seemed countless days on this ship broken down in tears, I felt it fading away, as if I had driven myself out of this place, I saw a mirror in the middle of the ship which I had not noticed before, maybe because it was sleeting so hard. But no, I clearly remembered running in that exact spot at some point of time. I then warily approached it careful to avoid lightning struck places. I leaned in towards it, unlike most mirrors I did not see myself. I saw a whole different world, I moved further closer and lightning hit the mirror everything was in blur for the next few seconds. Then with a soft thump I hit the ground dazed. The world seemed to be moving in circles around me, I stood up feeling a pain spread through my freezing cold legs.

Then I saw that it wasn't the world moving in circles, the ship was split in half and the part I was on refused to repair itself, it hurtled towards the ground spinning so fast, I felt ill and saw shards of the mirror floating around me. Speaking to me.” Follow us to the next place of pain which will make you hate yourself more.” They seemed to be saying in taunting, wretched voices, I wanted to lash out at them but I knew I would only hurt myself more. I then felt myself drawn in towards them, and for the second time after I 'died' everything went black. Yet this time was so much different. I felt the world grow around me, I heard crickets chirping.

*** Dusty Gardens

A soft, cool breeze brushed my cheek, a soft flowing cotton dress blew just barely above my knees I felt so free and so happy. My hair was brushed and had I had a wreath of pale pink roses set on it's thick brown mass. I felt as if nothing could go wrong and that those spiteful places would never return to me, and nothing could harm me here. I was not lost, I felt the happiness of the world grow with the warmth inside of me. I hear life here. I was not alone. I was me, myself, what I wanted to be. Afar off the sounds of children playing reached my tender ears. I was not alone. But as much as I heard, I could not see what I heard. This started the whole downfall of this new place.

I noticed the grass was wilted and dead, the sky was brown with clear signs of dust clouds approaching me. Panic started to seize me, my brain stopped. I was scared, not nervous, not confused, just plane scared. The warmth that had been building up inside my heart vacated almost instantly. My breathing deepened, as the wind began to blow harder and start to chill my bones. My lips were soon chapped and a blueish purple. I turned my head from the strong gusts of air heading towards me, the sun was at it's peak yet everything was drained of life and heat. The weeds in the ground started to grow in to a dark maze looming over everything.

Shadows fell across my face making me feel the real meaning of being alone. I could still hear the noises, but they had no body, no form. I could half feel the warmth in my body which still remained, but it would not spread. I had no way out of this place. I started to run through the maze, trying to find a way out, trying to escape, but to no avail. I came to another dead end, upon reaching it my eyes started to water from the dirt blowing in to them, I fell to the ground exhausted, this was not the way I had planned for my life to end. Yes, amazingly enough I planned out how I was to die, but I knew it would never happen. Not to me.

The wind ripped at the ground sending more dust in to the air, only to be thrown into everything in it's direction. I tried my best not to breath in the sulfur tainted air, this was worse then anything I'd felt before. I wondered what it was I had done to deserve such a fate as this. This was beyond all possible imagination, well, other then the cursed one that gave me this. Suddenly my hopes were brought up, but no sooner then they were dashed. I saw a shadow of a living thing, I could tell it was living because it was moving. But then a screech left my mouth unknown to me as a tall man turned the corner. This was the strangest thing I'd ever seen in my whole time of life and 'death'.

He wore a long black cloak which flapped around his ankles, his face bore the signs of many battles upon it, he pulled out a dagger with a twisted blade and with one quick thrust, one move of his wrist draped in black, plunged the weapon deep in to my stomach. I screamed again this time it was voluntary. I felt the pain sear throughout me as if lightning had struck me and was spreading across my body. My eyes closed in horror, I was going to die for the umpteenth time after I died! As my body started to fall limp to the ground I pondered if I was to be stuck in this loop of pain for eternity. Never had I wished so much before to be truly dead.

*** Away from the Authors weirdness (well kinda)

“ WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! I want to know what is wrong with my friend. And I want to know NOW!” Ginny Weasley glared daggers at healer Blanche, who looked scared.” I don't really give a damn about what the regulations are, I want to see Hermione, and I want to know what is wrong with her.” Despite Harry's trying to calm her down Ginny was still completely and totally angry. Healer Blanche decided it was best to take Miss Weasley to his newest patient. To heck with the regulations, he didn't want to get skewered by the angry witch.” It's about time.” Ginny huffed, Harry gave her a look.” I mean, thank you.”

“ Welcome.” Marcus Blanche replied in a undertone.” Miss Granger is still in a coma type state. We are trying to figure out what is going on, but to no avail. I'm not even sure what happened. Someone who refused to give his name brought her in here. Said she was grazed by a weak killing curse then left. After telling us that if we let her die he'd personally track us down and leave us in a worse state then.. Then what would have happened if we were tortured under the Cruciatius curse.” Marcus gulped slightly, remembering the mans exact words.

“ Interesting.” Harry muttered to himself, trying to think of what guy would do that and care so much about Hermione. A thought came in to his head but he quickly got rid of it, bu-ut! It was possible. Harry forgot about that as he and Ginny entered one of the private rooms at St Mungo's. Hermione was lying on a white bed with a look of horror etched on her face. Ginny immediately ran to her friends side, clearly worried.” Ginny, I'm sure everything will turn out okay.” Harry found he was comforting himself more then Ginny as he said this. He suddenly remembered to ask the healer a question.” Mr Blanche, what did the man who brought her here look like?”

“ Um.” Marcus was surprised with this question slightly.” He was slightly taller then you, longer then usual platinum blonde hair. And I believe he had grey eyes. Didn't see him quite well with the lighting. Why do you ask? Do you know this man?” Harry's eyes went wide, inside he congratulated himself on guessing correctly. But asked himself why Draco would be anywhere near the Burrow.” No matter, I'm almost positive Miss Granger will recover.”

“ She better.. For your sake.” Ginny added after a moment. She pulled a seat up next to Hermione's bed and sat there her face almost completely drained of color, Harry sat behind her rubbing her back and biting his lip hard. He didn't want to know what would happen when everyone else found out. And, today was going really bad.” Harry.. What. What if she doesn't wake up?” Ginny asked looking up at him, not caring that she sounded really childish. Tears were starting to spring in to her eyes.” What will happen to Regulus and Nymph?”

“ I don't know Ginny.. I don't know.” Harry gulped, he could also feel his eyes starting to water. This was going to be one of the longest days in his life. And he knew it. The two of them just waited there watching Hermione and silently hoping for her to get better.

I almost cried at the end.. Bad bad me.