The Other Side: A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter XXVI

Lana gulped, wringing her wrists behind her back and rocking on the balls of her feet. Silence had enveloped the drawing room. Finally, she burst out, "Somebody needs to say something or I'm going to die up here."

            "It doesn't make sense," Andromeda whispered, "None of it makes any sense. There isn't a spell that can switch universes. At least, I've never heard of one."

            "Nor have I," Snape agreed, "But I know from experience that just because you've never heard of a spell, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

            "Are you suggesting the possibility that she's not insane?" Sirius asked, "Because I heard everything you heard, and I'm pretty sure her level of sanity is much lower than I'd assumed."

            "This is magic we're talking about," Regina said, "Anything is possible."

            "But parallel universes?" Remus asked, "As much as I would love to believe that there's a world out there much better than the one I live in, the chances of one existing are slim to none."

            "One does exist," Lana insisted, "I lived there. I grew up there."

            "Even if you did live there, how did any of this even happen?" Dumbledore questioned.

            "You were in the Hall of Prophecies, correct?" Sirius asked.

            Lana stared at him. "The Hall of what?"

            "Prophecies," Sirius repeated, "The snow globes you described aren't snow globes, they're prophecies. There's got to be thousands of them there... And you're saying that he picked one and cast a spell at it?"

            Lana nodded.

            "So it must've been a specific prophecy that no one paid attention to," Cedric said.

            "If any of this is real, of course," Sirius added. "Which it's not. It's not possible."

            "It is real," Lana said, "I lived it."

            "You say you lived it," he countered, "The mind can make you say things, Lana. Trust me. As an alcoholic, I should know."

            "You don't get it!" she nearly shouted, "This isn't a joke! I'm not insane. I'm telling you the truth, which is what I thought you wanted."

            "Yes, we were all curious, but it might've been a better idea to keep your delusions to yourself," Sirius said, "Just a thought."

            Lana wanted to scream and shout and stomp her feet like a seven year-old. She wanted desperately to prove that it wasn't all a delusion, but there was nothing she could say to change their minds; they'd already decided she was a complete lunatic.

            Then Cedric's voice rang out like church bells among the silence.

            "I believe her," he said quietly, stepping up to stand beside Lana and taking hold of her hand. "I don't understand why it makes so much sense to me, but for some reason it does. I believe her."

            Sirius rolled his eyes. "Leave it to Cedric Diggory to help the damsel in distress."

            "I believe her," Cedric repeated, glaring at Sirius.

            "I do, too," Regina said, "In a way it does sort of make a little sense. Sure, you really have to think about the wildest possibilities, but... well, like I said; this is magic. Anything is possible."

            "I suppose as far as believing and not believing goes, I'm with her as well," Andromeda said, "I'm a bit skeptical but... I agree with Regina."

            Sirius looked around at the crowd. "Does anybody else think that she's telling the truth?"

            There was a moment of stillness before Lexi raised her hand, followed by Jesse and Kendra, grudgingly, and then all the refugees. Remus raised his hand next with a grin, Dumbledore following. Snape was the last to finally raise his hand slightly.

            Sirius sighed. Finally, he looked back at Lana. "It appears I've been overruled.

            "If what you've said is true, and I still don't completely believe it, then that means Voldemort probably has the prophecy with him somewhere in his castle as a security measure. In other words, there's no time to lose. We need to get this rebellion started as soon as possible."

            "Meaning?" Lana and Cedric asked simultaneously.

            "Meaning," Sirius replied, staring at Lana, "If you want to help fight, your lessons will have to start immediately. As in tomorrow. Are you ready?"

            Lana gulped but straightened. "Ready as I'll ever be."