Potter Sibling Trilogy Plus One Book 2 (continued from Book 1)

Chapter 9 - Connection

~Bella's POV~

I wake up from a bad dream to find Edward sitting on the end of my bed, again with a concerned look on his face.

"You okay?"

"No, it was different this time. I saw Mr Weasley being attacked."

Edward looks at Alice as she sits on her bed in the corner. She nods so Edward picks me up and takes me to McGonagall's office followed by Hollie.

"What's wrong?" she asks, seeing the state of me, and Edward explains. "We'd better get you to Dumbledore."

When we arrive at Dumbledore's office, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny are there already.

Edward explains.

"In the dream, were you standing next to the victim?" Dumbledore asks. "Or looking down at the scene?"

"Neither. It was like I... Will you please just tell me what's happening?"

"Everard, Arthur's on guard duty tonight," Dumbledore says as he goes up to a painting. "Make sure he's found by the right people."

The man in the painting stands and leaves the painting.

"Sir," I say.

"Phineas," he says to another painting. "You must go to your portrait at Grimmauld Place. Tell them that Arthur Weasley is gravely injured and his children will be arriving there soon by Portkey."

"They've got him, Albus," the first painting says upon returning. "It was close but they think he'll make it. What's more, the Dark Lord failed to acquire it."

"Oh, thank goodness. Next we need to..."

"Look at me," I scream and everyone does. "What's happening to me?"

"You wished to see me, headmaster?" I hear Snape behind me but I don't turn because I want answers from Dumbledore.

"Oh, Severus. I'm afraid we can't wait. Not even till the morning. Otherwise, we'll all be vulnerable."

"Come along, Miss Swan," Snape says before grabbing my arm and leading me out of the room.

Edward follows but stops at the top of the stairs.

"Everything's going to be alright, Bella," he says before I am led through the door.

"It appears there is a connection between the Dark Lord's mind and your own," Snape says when we reach his office. "Whether he is, as yet, aware of this connection is, for the moment, unclear."

He rolls out something on the table and picks up his wand.

"Pray he remains ignorant."

"You mean, if he knows about it, then... he'll be able to read my mind?"

"Read it, control it, unhinge it. In the past, it was often the Dark Lord's pleasure to invade the minds of his victims creating visions designed to torture them into madness."

He snakes towards me where I'm sat.

"Only after extracting the last exquisite ounce of agony, only when he had them literally begging for death, would he finally kill them. Used properly, the power of Occlumency will help shield you from access or influence. In these lessons, I will attempt to penetrate your mind. You will attempt to resist. Prepare yourself."

I compose myself but I can't completely prepare when I don't know what's coming.

"Legilimens."

My head feels like it's going to explode as I see my memories flashing through my head.