From the Grave

Chapter Two

I land with a crash that rattles my bones and shakes me awake. I throw up again and again, my eyes shut tight as I fight to stay conscious. Finally, I roll onto my back with a groan. A face pops up onto my closed eyelids. I panic and start to open my eyes, but the voice stops me. Choose wisely. What the hell? Why is this voice following me everywhere? What do you want? I think furiously. Get out of my head! The voice doesn't respond, so I take a closer look at the face floating in the blackness in front of me. I suck in a sharp burst of air as I realize who it is. Fred Weasley. As I concentrate on his face, I feel a sort of energy emanating from somewhere around me. It buzzes through me like a burst of energy, almost. I think of the books and movies, and wish he were still alive. No sooner have I thought it than I hear a small cough, and voices gasping and exclaiming. What? Did I just bring Fred Weasley back to life? How is that even possible? Another face pops up in front of me. It's Remus. I start to get excited. Does this mean I can bring my favorite Harry Potter characters back to life? How awesome is that! Wait. I heard that cough. I heard those people when they realized he was alive. In fact, I can still hear them now. I focus, and soon I can faintly hear spells being recited by frantic voices. Has my dream just come true? Is my alternate reality Hogwarts?

The voice is back. Dammit. I wish I could get rid of it. Choose wisely. I'm fed up with this unknown voice telling me what do to. You keep saying that, but you never explain why! I explode. How many people can I bring back to life? How is this even working? Who are you? WHY ARE YOU IN MY HEAD, AND HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO SEND ME HERE??? There's a pause, then the voice answers me. You may save four lives, and no one who's been buried or been dead for more than three years. Finally, some answers, although I notice none of my other questions were answered. Ugh. I'm getting so fed up with this. Fine, I think. I have three more, so I want Sirius, Remus, and Tonks. As I say each name, I feel a burst of energy running through me, and I hear two responding coughs from somewhere nearby. The din around me swells to a crescendo, and I crack open my eyes a bit to see what's going on. Immediately, the voice returns. It is done. What's done? My nerves??? There's a click in my head, and I feel the speaker disconnect from my mind. I shudder, disturbed by the whole thing. At least the voice is gone for now. I open my eyes all the way, and see three wands pointed directly at me.