snakes and lions

Chapter 7

The cellar seemed colder and darker than before. Voldemort was still torturing the worthless boy on the floor, but Harry said something he never thought he would say. "Take me. Take me instead." Harry stepped forward, making Tom Riddle drop his wand again. The pain came as strong and real as ever. Like hundreds of white hot daggers were piercing his bare flesh.
Harry writhed around in his bed
Suddenly his mind was invaded with scenes from his dark past. Lily and James bodies thudding to the ground. Cedric's lifeless body being clutched by his father, whose face was drenched in tears. Sirius being tortured in the department of mysteries.
He gasped for air. Hands gripping tight to the duvet. Sweat trickling down his neck.
But he saw scenes he never even dreamed of seeing. Ron and Hermione's lifeless bodies lying in a dark room - the cellar. Voldemort cackling above them, his wand tip still slightly alight with a green glow from the killing curse.

Harry woke with a start. He was drenched in sweat and panting uncontrollably. That was the worst nightmare he'd had for a long time. He was only half awake, his eyes were still blurry and tainted with the dream he had just encountered. He only just recognised the room he was lying in. His dormitory above the Gryffindor common room. He closed his eyes again, still panting, but he felt someone's fingers stroking his raven black hair. Was it Hermione? Ron? Or was it his mother? Was this another dream? "It's okay," the person whispered. But Harry couldn't recognise the voice. He was still half asleep. "It was just a dream. You'll go back to sleep now." And after those words, the person planted a soft kiss on his forehead. 'It's a dream' Harry thought. 'Just a dream. And this is a dream too.'
Again, Harry fell into an uneasy sleep.