Chapter 2: The Ancient One

Harry stumbled through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room, interrupting Ron and Hermione who were snogging on a sofa. He flopped unceremoniously into an armchair, looking completely stunned.
"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked, curious.
Harry mumbled something incomprehensible.
"Come on, Harry, speak up!" Ron complained.
"Malfoy just apologised to me for being an arse for six years. At least, that is what I think he said."
"What? I can’t believe it!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Why on earth would he do that?" said Ron, confused.
Harry shrugged.
"I think I’ll go upstairs and write my Transfigurations essay," he proclaimed and left.
"Ron," said Hermione, "hasn’t Harry been a little distant lately?"
"Mmm, perhaps," said Ron, slightly distracted by Hermione’s ear lobe. "Why?"
"Do you think he has girl troubles?"
"Harry hasn’t even mentioned anything about a girl since Cho."
"But that ended in fifth year!"
"Yes, I know"
"Ron, maybe he prefers guys?"
"Hermione!" Ron protested. "You don’t have to jump to conclusions! He’s been quite occupied with battling Voldemort, you know. Maybe he didn’t have time!"
"Well, that’s a possibility..." she confessed, suddenly interrupted by Ron’s very soft lips on her own.
They both forgot about the conversation, unaware that Harry had overheard it all when he went downstairs to fetch his quill, and he did certainly not forget about it.
"What if it’s true," he whispered, immediately realising that is was true.
He slipped quietly up the stairs to the dormitory, and threw himself on his bed. How weird that Hermione had to figure it out first! He wondered if he should be sorry now, but he wasn’t. Probably he’d known it for quite a long time, without knowing that he knew. If that was possible. No, he wasn’t going to be sorry. That was just who he was. He stopped thinking, because his mind was getting rather foggy.
Two hours later, Ron entered the dormitory and found Harry staring at the ceiling.
"Harry?"
No answer.
Ron shook him by the shoulders.
"Harry, are you all right?"
"Err... no, I feel kind of strange," he said, blinking. "I think I should go to bed."
Ron looked concerned, but he didn’t say anything.

Harry had very disturbing dreams that night. He was lost in an underground maze with stone walls, and he walked for hours in the pale, ghostly light that seemed to have no source. He kept counting; left turn, right turn, left turn; and all the time a voice whispered in his mind, urging him forward, ’hurry, hurry’. Sometimes he would stumble on a gnarled root, but he knew he had to keep moving. Left turn, right turn, and right turn again...

The next morning Harry had some difficulties with his eyes. They really didn’t want to open. Harry groaned. He was so tired; it was as if he hadn’t slept at all. He stumbled blindly into the boy’s bathroom and washed his face. He didn’t feel any better.
"Come on, Harry, you’ll be late for breakfast!" Ron shouted.
"Coming!" he yelled back. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror. He looked awful.
’Oh, well.’

At breakfast, Harry’s friends started to worry when he fell asleep on his plate for the second time.
"Harry, are you feeling well?" Ginny asked and removed some scrambled eggs from his hair.
"No," he mumbled, "I didn’t sleep very well."
"Maybe you’re ill?" Ron suggested.
Ginny put her hand on his forehead.
"Feels like you have a light fever," she said. "Are you going to come to Hogsmeade?"
She looked disappointed.
"I don’t think I should," Harry answered, disappointed as well.
He glanced over at the Slytherin table, and noticed that Malfoy looked very tired as well. Maybe he noticed that Harry looked in his direction, because he looked up, and their eyes met.
"Harry, what are you smiling at?" Hermione asked.
Harry was slightly shocked. He hadn’t realised that he had smiled.
"Oh, nothing."

Albus Dumbledore sat behind the desk in his office, when the Care of Magical Creatures teacher entered.
"Professor Dumbledore!" Hagrid boomed. "There’s somethin’ I thought yeh should know ’bout."
"Yes, Hagrid?"
"Firenze tol’ me tha’ the Ancient ’Un is awake again."
"Oh, is that so? It has been a while now, since last time. I thought that perhaps she would go to sleep forever this time."
"Well, what’re we goin’ ter do abou’ it?"
"I think we had better let her do what she believes is necessary. Things usually turns out for the best."
"Let me just remind yeh ’bout the mess tha’ she created last time," Hagrid grunted.
"Yes, I believe that many people were quite upset. It was very refreshing," Dumbledore said, with a twinkle in his eyes.
Hagrid chuckled.
"I’ll just hope tha’ yeh know what yeh’re doing then, eh, Headmaster."

Harry woke up abruptly, threw off his blanket and sat up. Ron was asleep in the other bed. ’Have I been sleeping all day?’ he wondered. He got his winter cloak, put it on and sneaked out of the room. The common room was empty, and it was dark outside. He went out of the portrait hole and through the deserted hallways. He didn’t know where he was going, he wasn’t thinking. In the back of his mind he felt that strange feeling that someone was urging him forward. ’Hurry, hurry!’
He went outside, and crossed the lawn. When he realised that he was about to enter the Forbidden Forest he started to become afraid. But at that point it felt like something was taking over and making the decision for him. He reluctantly followed a narrow, winding path into the forest. The tall, black trees were intimidating, but to his surprise he knew exactly where to go. He went deep inside the forest, deeper than he’d ever been, even with Hagrid. It got darker and darker further in, and he couldn’t see his hand in front of him. He stopped and pulled out his wand from his pocket.
"Lumos," he whispered, and a light appeared at the end of the wand.
In front of him he saw a large, steep cliff. And the moment he spotted the darker shadow that surely hid an opening of some sort, perhaps a cave, he knew that he had to enter. He took a few steps forward, and the light hit the walls of the tunnel. To his surprise they were man-made, not actually smooth, but it was evidently no natural crack. His feet started to move again, and he thought he could discern faint whispering from the darkness inside, but perhaps it was just his imagination. It was time for a new surprise when he discovered that the passage split into two, and then split again. It was the maze from his dream! And he knew his way. Left turn, right turn, left turn... He walked for a long time. Harry thought that it must’ve been at least half an hour, and he lost count of the turnings, but he was sure of the way nonetheless. Eventually the passage ended in a dimly lit cave. It was fairly big, but the ceiling was so low it almost touched Harry’s head.
"Nox," he whispered, and his magical light went out.
He wondered where the light came from. The cave seemed empty, except for a thin mist in the air, and a pool sunk into the floor that seemed to be filled with swirling clouds. Suddenly he got the distinct feeling that he wasn’t alone. He thought he saw something move at the far end of the cave. He felt something touch his mind, a sense of welcome, and he jerked in surprise.
He sensed amusement, friendliness.
’That’s how I communicate.’
’Who are you?’
’They call me the Ancient One.’
Harry didn’t quite understand what that was supposed to mean.
’I summoned you here.’
’That was what all the dreams were about?’
’I taught you the way. No one can find me unless I want them to.’
’Why did you summon me?’
’Your help is requested.’
The shape drew nearer, and Harry strained his eyes, trying to make out what it was. It definitely wasn’t human, because it was transparent, but it was no ghost either. And it was definitely a female. Harry could see a pair of large eyes, incredibly deep, but he couldn’t distinguish any other features. It, no, ’she’ he corrected himself, drifted across the floor. She had no feet, Harry discovered. Her legs just faded out into nothingness. He swallowed.
’How can I help you?’
’It’s not me... Harry. I have seen all there is to see. I have listened to the heartbeats of the planet for many centuries. I have known mankind in ages of peace and of war... I have no needs.’
’Who is it that needs help, then?’
’Follow me.’
Harry followed the misty shape through an opening in the side of the cave, and entered another. In the middle of the cave, he could see someone laying on a smooth rock that looked far too much like an altar for Harry’s taste. He walked up to it, and he recognised the sleeping person. He was tall and slim, had silver-blond hair, a pale, narrow face, delicate features. Draco Malfoy.
’Him! He used to be my worst enemy!’
’Used to?’
Amusement
Harry failed to see what was so funny.
’Well... He’s been a bit confusing lately. There doesn’t seem to be so much hatred anymore...’
’Would you give him a second chance, then? Would you help your former enemy?’
Harry thought of Dumbledore, who always believed that people could change and redeem themselves. Even Death Eaters. And Malfoy never went that far. He had just been very mean... And he looked so peaceful...
’Yes, I would,’ he thought firmly.
’He doesn’t know he’s here. He thinks he is dreaming. Sometimes when he’s asleep he can escape the pain, the misery.’ Those feelings flooded Harry, as if she wanted to show him what the other boy was feeling.
Harry gasped.
’You couldn’t tell he’s so unhappy,’ he thought, glancing down at Malfoy. ’He looks just like a sleeping angel.’
’People do not treat him like an angel.’
Harry felt slightly guilty.
’It’s killing him. He’s very close to the edge.’
She looked down at the sleeping boy. So proud, he would never accept that he needed Harry, who once turned him down. And his pride would never let him help Harry either. It was best to keep him unaware of her meddling and let him sort through that himself, later. Harry was proud too, but his needs were different. Surely he wouldn’t accept Draco’s help either, but he wouldn’t refuse to help him. This empty young man needed to be needed. And he needed it desperately.
’Where do I fit into all this?’ Harry asked.
’He needs you,’ she answered simply.
Draco Malfoy opened his eyes, and sat up.
"Harry! What are you doing here?"
’Remember, he still thinks he is dreaming.’
"Draco, let’s get out of here, shall we?"
The pale boy rose and turned towards Harry. Harry suddenly understood that he was supposed to find the way back through the maze and the Forbidden Forest.
’Oh, well,’ he thought, trying not to panic. He started to walk, and felt Draco’s hand slip into his. He turned around, surprised, and saw the other boy’s grey eyes looking straight into his.
"I don’t want to lose you inside the maze" Draco explained.
Harry smiled, and they entered the maze again together. It was more difficult to retrace their steps, but they made it, though Harry definitely was nervous. Finally, they exited the last tunnel and felt fresh air on their faces. The trees of the Forbidden Forest loomed tall and black, and they seemed almost alive, their branches rattling in the wind. Draco shuddered and unconsciously drew nearer Harry.
"Afraid of the dark?" Harry asked casually.
"You know, people say that you’re afraid of the dark because you can’t see what’s hiding there," said Draco, and caught Harry’s gaze. He looked terrified.
"But I’ve seen it, Harry," he whispered, "I’ve seen what’s hiding in the shadows. And sometimes, it’s even worse than you could imagine."
Harry didn’t know how to handle this, and he was glad that Draco didn’t know that he wasn’t dreaming.
They walked back in silence and parted in the Entrance Hall, Harry on his way to Gryffindor Tower and Draco on his way to the dungeons. Only when he was back in his bed, Harry realised that he hadn’t exactly been told what to do. It wasn’t as if he could ask Malfoy. Well, that had to wait until morning. He laid his head on his pillow and fell asleep instantly.