Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me.

-

-

-

Harry struggled to wake up. "Warmth that is not fire, dreams that don't exist." The words were mumbled, hazy. Harry rubbed his eyes, struggling to get his bearings. He was snug in his bed, Celine curled up beside him. Suddenly she began to toss and turn. Her eyes opened wide. "Warmth that is not fire, dreams that don't exist." Celine's wide eyes turned to him, staring blankly: a corpse's eyes. Harry screamed, backing away from her in terror.

The door flew open. "Harry, darling, what's wrong?" Allicot gasped. "Are you all…Celine!"

The little girl bolted upright. "Warmth that is not fire, dreams that don't exist!" she screamed.

Allicot stood up and pointed her wand towards the door. "Accio bear," she called, and from Celine's nursery floated a large, ordinary looking stuffed bear. Allicot clutched it in her hands and thrust it into Celine's arms. "There, darling, there, my baby," she cooed, stroking her small hysterical daughter's long hair. "There we are. Sh, it's all right."

Celine mechanically buried her face into the bear, still talking loudly, but the words coming out muffled and garbled. Harry scooted away towards the edge of the bed, panting. Allicot smoothed Celine's hair and stroking her back, making soft comforting noises. "It's all right, Celine," she soothed. "Sh, don't scare Harry."

Celine jerked up and fixed her blank wild eyes on Harry. "Harry!" she cried in a high shrill voice. She pointed to him. "Lost and alone, last child left! Two will appear to him, and-"

"Celine, Celine, sh!" Allicot coaxed. She cuddled her small daughter closely and held her closer to the teddy bear. The loud muffled voice continued. "It's all right, my baby. It's all right." Celine slumped back, head tilting. "Enchanted branch of the family tree, never again come back to me," she mumbled hoarsely, and fell into Allicot's arms.

Allicot lifted her daughter. "I'll be right back, Harry," she said softly. "I'll just go put her to bed."

Harry sat still, clutching his blankets to his chin. After about ten minutes, Allicot tiptoed back into his room. "Are you all right, darling?" she asked. Harry burst into tears. "Oh, oh, my poor darling, don't cry." She gathered him into her arms and rocked him back and forth. "I know it's scary." She pressed her cheek against his dark silky hair. "I know. I know."

Harry rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong with Celine?" he hiccupped.

"Celine is…is a very special little girl," Allicot said. "She has…she has a gift for…for prophecies."

"Prophecies?" Harry said. "What's that?"

"Celine says things that are going to happen in the future," Allicot said, tangling her fingers in his hair. She tried to smile. "I give her the bear to tell everything to. The bear has a spell on him, see, and he records all of the things that Celine says." She kissed Harry's temple. "Do you understand?" Harry nodded. She kissed him again, this time on both cheeks. "Now go to sleep, darling. And have sweet dreams."

He nestled into the soft bed, and Allicot drew the covers over him. "Good night, Harry."

-----

Harry jolted awake. He sat up, dizzy and disoriented. He was in his room at Hogwarts, safe in his own bed. His roommates slept soundly; Neville was even snoring lightly. Harry rubbed his forehead. "A prophecy," he murmured. "Another prophecy…about me."

He looked into the darkness of the room. "I need to find it."

-

-

-

For more information about this story, visit the website link in my author profile.

I am currently publishing an original novel. Please visit fictionpress(DOT)com/celizabethnicholas for more.