Chapter 3
The man’s voice was deeper than Harry expected.
The twins looked at him.
“So you’re finally awake, Inmate!” The one with two side buns spoke.
The other, who had a braid, spoke up two, softer than the other, “The you in reality is fast asleep. This is only happening in a dream.”
“Stand up straight,” The other spoke up again, “Don’t you know? You’re in the presence of our master.”
They turned to face the man.
The man took over, “This place exists between mind and matter, dream and reality. Only those bound by a contract are allowed to enter.” He explained, “I am Albus. You better remember it.
“I summon you to discuss a…pressing issue. Your life is involved, after all.”
“Pressing issue?” Harry’s head was reeling. What the hell was happening?
The twin with buns slammed her baton on the bars of the cage, electricity zapping., “Let our master speak!”
“However,” He continued,”It is a surprise that your heart would choose to take this form.” He looked around the room, “A jail. You truly are a prisoner of fate. Ruin is fast approaching.”
“...Ruin?”
“Don’t worry. There is a way to avoid such an outcome. You must be rehabilitated to freedom. Do you have the strength to defy fate?”
“What?” Harry couldn’t understand what he was saying. The other man did not seem to mind.
“Nonetheless, I will be observing your progress.”
The twins turned back to him.
“Ah, apologies. I forgot to introduce the others. To your right is Aria.” The one with buns.
“To you left is Anya.” The braided one.
“Go ahead, struggle. It won’t do you any good.” Aria told Harry.
Anya took over, her voice soft but dangerous, “Our duty is to protect inmates and to help you on your path to rehabilitation. As long as you obey, that is.”
“I will explain their roles at a later date. For now, our time seems to be up. Take your time trying to understand this place, for we will surely meet again. Soon.”
An alarm, his alarm, woke him from that strange dream. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got dressed.
As he walked down stairs, he smelt something delicious in the air. When he got down, he saw Sirius setting down a bowl of something.
Sirius finally noticed him and smiled, “Good morning, Harry.” Harry couldn’t help but smile. He had never been greeted so warmly at the Dursley’s.
Sirius gestured towards the bowl, “I made curry. I know it’s not exactly a healthy breakfast, but it was all I could make. Sorry about that.”
Harry shook his head, “It smells delicious.”
His godfather gave him a wolfish grin, “I’m glad. Well, dig in.”
And Harry did. He ate as if he hadn’t eaten in awhile, which he hadn’t, but Sirius didn’t need to know that.
“Slow down! You're going to choke.” Sirius warned light-heartedly.
After they got into the car, though, Sirius’ tone turned serious, “Look, kid.” He turned towards him, “You’ve got a record now and people won’t be the kindest to you. Trust me.” He sounded like he spoke from experience.
Harry nodded solemnly. He had seen the way the kids at Privet Drive treated him after he was arrested.
As they entered the headmistress’s office, which was a tornado of pink, he noticed two women. The one at the desk, the headmistress no doubt, reminded him of a pink toad. The other woman had a tight bun and wore an emerald pant suit with matching heels.
The pink disaster spoke first, “Mr. Black and Mr. Potter. Right on time.” She turned to the emerald woman.
She took over, “Mr. Potter, I will be your homeroom teacher. You may call me Professor Mcgonagall.” He was handed a piece of paper, his schedule.
She turned to Sirius, “Keep him in check, Mr. Black.”
He grinned at her, “Sure thing.”
She gave him a look before excusing them.
It was a quiet, if not long, drive home due to the traffic.
At least until the radio started talking about another train accident.
—----------------------
Somewhere else
A teenage girl, with platinum hair with blue tips, in a school outfit knocks on an office door.
“Yes?”
The girl walked in and was greeted by a pretty woman with dark skin and perfectly styled hair hunched over at a desk.
“Helen, you wanted to see me?”
“Delphi, what have you found out about the Mental Shutdowns?”
“How about we discuss this over dinner?” The girl smiled.
Helen sighed, “Fine, but we’re going to the corner store.”
The girl pouted, but followed the woman out of the room.
—--------—---------
When they got home, SIrius spoke up, “You’ll have to take the train tomorrow, sorry about that.”
Harry just nodded, before heading to his room.
As he checked the train schedules for the next day, he saw that same glaring red app from before.
He sighed before deleting it again and fell asleep.
The next day, after he got dressed in his school uniform, he rushed downstairs only to be stopped by Sirius.
“At least eat before you go.” So he sat down and hurriedly ate the curry.
After a goodbye from Sirius, he was off.
It took a while to navigate the trains, but he finally got to 9 and 3/4. As he headed up the stairs of the station, he noticed it was raining.
He sighed as he ducked under the roofs. He stood next to a brunette girl in a green jacket.
A car drove up to them, “Need a ride to school? You’re going to be late.” An older man asked them.
Harry’s eyes lit up before realizing he was only talking to the girl.
The girl hesitantly got in before Harry could muster up the courage to speak up.
A red-haired boy ran towards the car before stopping a few steps ahead of him.
“Bloody pervy teacher.”
“Pervy…Teacher?” Harry couldn’t help but question.
The boy turned sharply, “You gonna tell Crouch on me?” He said as sharply as he had turned.
“Crouch?” Who was that?
The boy turned confused as well, “The dude in the car just now. Wait, don’t tell me you don’t Barty Crouch Jr.”
Harry furrowed his eyebrows, “He works at the ministry, right?”
The boy shook his head, “His dad does. Don’t you go to Hogwarts?”
“You go to Hogwarts too?”
“Yeah, wait I don’t recognize you.” He seemed to realize something, “You’re that exchange student.”
Harry nodded, “I’m Harry.”
“Ron.” He introduced himself, “Look, steer clear of Crouch. He acts like he’s the king of the castle.”
He shook his head and nodded to a path, “Let’s get to school, I know a shortcut.”
As they began to walk, though, a shooting pain went through their heads.
“Shit!” Ron said, “I wanna go home.”
Harry silently agreed before following the other boy.
As they came to a stop, they froze in shock.
Although the sign said Hogwarts, in front of them was a castle.