In Every Lifetime

Chapter 4: Truth Revealed

The garden was illuminated by the golden light of late afternoon, the air warm and scented with blooming flowers. A soft breeze stirred the trees, their leaves rustling gently. Above, the sky was a vast, uninterrupted blue, dotted with a few fluffy white clouds drifting lazily. Birds sang melodiously from the branches, their songs mingling with the distant murmur of a nearby stream. It was a tranquil scene, a perfect day that seemed to extend endlessly, as if untouched by the passage of time.

Annaliese raced through the sunlit garden, her laughter echoing in the warm air. The soft grass tickled her bare feet as she navigated around the flowerbeds, her small hands reaching out for balance. She halted in front of a cluster of rocks, her blue eyes gleaming with excitement as she started to climb.

"Anna, be careful, you might fall," a gentle voice warned.

She turned, feeling her heart swell with warmth at the sight of the woman a few steps away. The woman had long, light brown hair flowing down her back and hazel eyes filled with concern. Her slender form moved gracefully as she approached, a gentle smile on her lips.

Annaliese grinned in return, feeling a profound sense of safety and joy. However, as she reached out, the sky suddenly darkened. The sunlight vanished, replaced by swirling dark clouds and an ominous rumble.

The woman's smile disappeared. She hurried towards Annaliese, lifting her with urgency. "We need to get inside, now!" she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

They rushed into the house, the woman holding Annaliese close to her chest. Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with tension. The woman opened a closet door, swiftly guiding Annaliese inside before following and closing the door behind them. The small space was pitch black, and Annaliese could feel the woman's arms wrapped tightly around her, her breath quick and shallow against Annaliese's ear.

Suddenly, a loud crash reverberated through the house, and the closet door flew open. A dark figure appeared in the doorway, a wand raised with its tip glowing ominously.

"No!" The woman stepped in front of Annaliese, drawing her own wand. Her voice remained steady despite the fear in her eyes. "You will never take my daughter!"

A blinding flash illuminated the closet, and then everything went dark.

Annaliese woke with a start, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. Her heart raced as she tried to dispel the lingering shadows of her dream. The once-warm, comforting scent of the garden was now replaced by the antiseptic smell of the infirmary. Disoriented, she took in her surroundings and recognized that she was back in the familiar Hogwarts hospital wing.

As her pulse gradually steadied, the vivid images from the dream clung to her mind like a persistent shadow. The woman's face and her desperate words—"You will never have my daughter"—echoed relentlessly, filling Annaliese with deep unease. Her thoughts swirled with confusion as she tried to make sense of the experience. The details of the dream were still fresh, yet the more she focused on them, the more elusive they became, slipping away like grains of sand through her fingers. Who was that woman? And who was the figure in the doorway? The questions gnawed at her, leaving her both intrigued and anxious.

Annaliese pressed her hands to her temples, trying to anchor herself in the present. The dream's intensity felt hauntingly real, but its meaning was elusive. The thought that it might be a forgotten memory sent a chill down her spine.

Before Annaliese could lose herself in thought, a faint mumbling drew her attention. She turned and noticed Madam Pomfrey, who was dozing at her desk, softly murmuring in her sleep.

Annaliese strained to catch the words. They were disjointed, almost as if the nurse were speaking in a dream. "...rose petals... never... the pot... tea... too strong..."