HP: The Dream

"To catch you up on your homework." She says and leaves before I can say anything.

I sit down in class and a second later, I feel a tap on my right shoulder, I look behind to see a weird human-pig face looking at me.

'What am I looking at?'

I stare at the person, confused, trying to remember if I know who he was, or what it was.

"H… Hello."

'This creature speaks.'

"Hello." I reply, still trying to figure why it's talking to me.

"Uhmm, how are you now? Are you fine?"

"Yeah. In tip-top shape."

"Thank Merlin. I.. I was so scared that…."

"Well, no need to be worried now." Still clueless about its identity, so I decide to directly ask. "And you are?"

I watched as colour visibly drained from her face.

"Right, I just watched as you were suffering. I… I just froze up and couldn't move. I… I am sorry. I get it…. If don't want to be friends anymore and pretend you don't know me." It replied and started going back.

"... Again, who are you?" I ask, stopping it.

"It's me" She says as if it's supposed to clear something.

"….A half pig half human?"

"What?! Oh, right, I forgot." Suddenly, its face started morphing and became Dora.

"Oh Dora! Right! You were a meta—meta something. I forgot that."

"A Metamorphmagus."

"Right that. So, how are you doing?"

"I wasn't the one beaten to a pulp." She said and then immediately started fumbling. "No wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Really, I wasn't making fun of you. Just, I sometimes lack this filter and whatever I am thinking just comes out of my mouth."

"Relax. I am not mad. And about the beaten to a pulp thing, you should have seen the troll. I did a solid number on him too."

"*Chuckle* Yeah sure."

"No really. I got some really good hits in. How was he actually, I kinda fainted in the middle."

"He was….. definitely in a very bad state. You really did a number on him." She hit my arm as she said that.

"So, are we still friends? You don't hate me?" She asks in a meek voice.

"Why would I hate you?"

"You know….. I just froze up when the troll…. Even when you came to save me I couldn't…."

'Chotto matte. I came to save her? Me? When? Is that the story we're going with?'

"Don't sweat it. After all, I am pretty sure I am alive thanks to you." Who am I to deny a perfectly good story.

She smiles at that and sits beside me, chatting about all things.

Professor Flitwick comes in, standing on a stack of books.

'That feels wrong, seeing him stand on the books.'

I think as he begins his lecture.

"Okay everyone, as I am sure by now all of you have manages to make their feathers float. So today, we'll be doing something different. We'll float a stack of books."

At this the students start whispering about how boring this is and how easily they can do it.

"*Clap Clap* Now that you all are quiet, I know that you all think that this will be easy and there is no need for it. So I will do this, if anyone of you can successfully make all the books float without wobbling in one try, I'll end this class here."

At this almost all students perk up, afterall who didn't like a free period.

"If the Professor is taking the time to teach this, it is obviously important. I don't understand why they are all so exited to skip class." Comes an argument from beside me.

'Yeah, almost.'

Professor Flitwick watches as students try one after another to make their books float, but some downright fail to make them float, while others couldn't maintain the stack and the books scattered. All in all, no one who tried succeeded.

"Now you all know that it is not as easy as it looks. And this lesson can be applied to all and any magic you learn. Just because you know how to cast a spell on a single object, doesn't mean you are a master of it."

With that, we all start practicing on the stack in front of us.

I look at my stack and then at my wand.

''Okay, this is it. Please don't fail me here.'' I whisper to my wand.

"What are you doing?" Dora asks, watching me mumbling.

"Encouraging my wand."

"Pfft. And I thought you didn't need a wand." She says playfully.

"Just, trying out things the conventional way."

I watch as she waves her wand and her stack floats before scattering all over.

I take a deep breath, aim my wand, speak the spell and...

...….Nothing.

'No problem, we can try again.'

*Wingardium Leviosa*

….. nothing.

'Maybe I am just not pronouncing it correctly.'

"*Win-GAR-dee-um Levi-O-sa*"

I wait for the books to float, to show even a hint of wobble, but nothing.

I glance around—no one's managed to float the whole stack, but at least everyone got one or two books in the air. Except me.

"Any problem Mr. Patil?"

I look up to see Prof. Flitwick standing in front of me.

"No, Professor. No problem."

He shows no sign of leaving, and watches me intently.

'Can't get out of this one.'

I steel my mind, and once again try it.

"*Win-GAR-dee-um Levi-O-sa*"

"*Win-GAR-dee-um Levi-O-sa*"

"*Win-GAR-dee-um Levi-O-sa*"

Still the books refuse to budge. As I am wreaking my mind about what to say, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry. Just keep practicing—you'll get there," he says, patting my shoulder before moving on.

'Safe!'

Throughout the lesson, I try to make the books float, hoping for something. Sometimes I think I saw them wobble a bit, but nothing conclusive.

The class ends with Prof. reminding us to keep practicing.

"Anything on your mind? First time I saw a Ravenclaw having trouble with books." Dora jabs as we leave the class.

"No. Just, feeling a bit hungry. You know it's hard to concentrate on an empty stomach."

Thankfully, she drops the topic after that and leaves for her other class.

Since it was my free period, and it was too early for lunch, I decided to roam the castle.

I mean, it's Hogwarts. It was a childhood dream to one day stand here and explore this castle.

I aimlessly wander the halls, going into random rooms, ascending wherever the stairs take me, chatting with the paintings, watching the scenery from its windows, opening random doors-

"WOOF! WOOF!"

*Slam*

'Wrong door.'

'Well, I guess that's enough exploration for today. Time for class.'

Somehow, the stairs lead me exactly where I want to go without deviating, and I reach the class on time.

Though the class is boring, the book's contents are interesting. The pictures even move inside, which makes it even more fun.

'It's been years since I read a book with so many pictures.'

After class, as I am filling my stomach, I wonder what to do next, since the classes are over for the day.

"Hey, do you wanna go to the black lake?"

Padma gives me a look as if I had lost my mind.

"Not for any experiments. For a walk. I want to go and explore the castle outside."

"Sorry, can't. I have to complete all the assignments I have pending. Which means you also have to do them, so better for you not to go as well."

"Hmmm, that's a valid point. But I'm gonna go either way." I get up and look around for any other person I might know.

I ask Dora and she turns me down as well.

I look around for my next target.

"Hey Penelope"

"Well, look who's back in tip-top shape." She says as she ruffles my hair.

"Yeah, heaven refused to take me in."

"Figures, should have tried hell. Better chances for you there."

"But in all seriousness, Good to see you back."

"Glad to be here." I really am.

"And the thing I came for, want to go for a walk outside?"

The silence that befell the table was broken by the laugh from her friend.

"Man, the kid has more guts than most of the boys in our year. Daring to ask you out in front of us all."

'Ahhh, the teen brain. Can't take anything without attaching additional meaning to it.'

"No, I am not asking her out. Really only want to go take a walk outside and that's it. You are welcome to join if you would like." I try to clear, even when I know it is futile.

"Oh, taking a step back. And here I was praising your guts."

"Okay, stop making fun of him."

"Sorry, I already have plans."

'Another failure. Who else can I ask….'

The only other face I recognise currently in the great hall is Hermione's.

'Man, I really don't know a lot of people. Most probably another no, but what's the harm in trying.'

"You should be studying. Those assignments won't finish themselves."

"Yeah, but I really don't feel like it right now."

'An adult can still whine.'

"Nope. Finish first, then fun. I can help if you want."

"What if…. You come with me for a walk outside, and then I let you help me with my assignments?"

"What? That doesn't make any sense. Why are you letting me help you as if it's some kind of reward for me?"

"No, don't think of it as a reward. More like, I would really like your help with my assignments, but I would also like to go outside and breathe in the fresh air for a bit. So, why not do both?"

"But I have to read a book in the library." She says with some reluctance.

'Almost there.'

"We can go to the library later. I can do my assignments and you can read your book at the same time. Not like you would have to constantly keep watch over me or something. I'll only ask you for parts I am not clear on so you can read your book in peace."

She shakes her head, and I take it as a no, resigning myself to go alone.

"Okay, I'll come with you."

"Really?"

"Yes, but only for an hour."

"Deal. Let's go."

We go outside, and the sun in this weather was absolutely pleasant. Now that I was here purely for sightseeing, instead of trying spells, I can appreciate the beauty of this place.

We spend our time talking about random things and we even skipped stones in the water.

'Always wanted to try doing it, it looked really fun on TV.'

I somehow even pulled her into a game of tag as well.

Then, tired from all the running, we sit there and watch the sun set.

"You know, it's been wayyy more than 1 hour." She quips from my side.

"I know. And it was fun."

"That it was." She replies with a chuckle.

"But now, let us go back."

"Sigh~ okay. You came with me, so now, time for me to go to the library."

We gathered our stuff and met at the library. I decided to first focus on the assignments from the past 3 weeks. Till someone doesn't ask for earlier ones, not bothering with them.

And they were surprisingly easy. I guess for someone who has studied for entrance exams for college and then learnt to study the entire syllabus for exams one night before in college, this is child's play. Even if the subjects are totally different, figuring out the key points in book and then understanding and writing them in my own words, the concept was the same.

'And as a bonus, all the books were full of images and illustrations (～￣▽￣)～'

By the time for dinner, I was already mostly caught up.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to be able to do it so fast."

"And I didn't expect it to be so easy."

"Sigh~ I only those two could learn how to actually sit still and study from you."

"Who? Harry and Ron?"

"Yeah. I keep telling them to do it, and after ignoring all my warning they then come to me before deadline to copy from mine."

"Well, not everyone learns the importance of study. You can only accept the fact that, majority of people in this world are idiots, and move on."

"You shouldn't say that about people." She hits me with her book lightly, then mumbles quietly, "But yes, they are." With a small smile.

We make our way to Great Hall for dinner.

As I lay in my bed that night, looking at the moonlight filtering through the window, I don't know what to feel.

Happiness for this chance at another life, in a magical world.

Or sadness in seeing no path to return, and for living a lie and deceiving everyone.

'I guess I still can't figure it out.'

'I've heard that time mends all wounds. Hopefully, it brings some answers too.'

After many days, I slept without any nightmares.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

A/N: So how did you feel about the chapter, or about the story in general till now? Do you have any questions about the story or the characters, or maybe something else you want to talk about .Let me know in the comments.