CHAPTER 58: THE DREAM AND THE RAT

Facts:

An Animagus (pl. Animagi) was a witch or wizard who could transform themselves into an animal and back again at will. It was a learned skill, unlike the hereditary skill of a Metamorphmagus. Information on Animagi was taught to Hogwarts students during their third year Transfiguration class. An Animagus Registry existed to keep track of those that had learned to transform in this way.

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Ed was on a frozen land, he felt like it was the fight all over again, but it was different, there is some kind of loneliness to the place. It was barren, cold, and empty, all Ed could see is a bright light on a crater in the middle of the land, Ed walked to it and tried to get close, but the light is too bright for Ed to get closer.

He looked around, but saw nothing, Ed was confused, is this a dream? Is this a vision? Or is this the future? Ed didn't give up the search and continued to go around the big magical light. He searched for a sign of life, but there was nothing, it is empty.

But then, Ed sensed a space fluctuation nearby, the signature was familiar yet unknown, Ed walked to the source and saw a portal, surrounded in a turquoise light, there he saw a young woman, ashen hair and a scar on her face, besides her were… Ed? he was much older and taller than him now and was wearing a medieval armour, but it was definitely him.

'What's going on?' Ed thought, but before he could thought more, he saw Hermione behind that portal, being restrained by an old man, he looked like the girl that was beside the older him, she looked frantic, shouting something to the older him, but the older him didn't budge and just smiled at her.

It was a bizarre experience for Ed, is this the future? Who is the woman besides Ed? why is Hermione there? He tried to get close to the older him and the young woman besides him, he shouted his own name, but the man didn't hear him, so he ran to those two. The portal had closed behind them, Ed can't see the older Hermione and the old man anymore, but then he heard the voice of the older him talking to the woman.

"You're ready to do this Ciri?" the older Ed questioned the girl.

'So, her name is Ciri…' the younger Ed thought.

Ciri nodded, "It's my destiny."

Ed chuckled, "I don't believe in destiny Ciri, so let's just do this… I have done this before, but the last time I was dying on the ground… so I guess it'll be much easier than before."

Ciri hummed, "All right, I'll help you."

Both of them stretched their hands, the older Ed's hand glowed dark blue, while Ciri's hands glowed turquoise. Then the light in the middle of the crater suddenly had a distortion, they had managed to open a black hole, but the hole was expanding rapidly, it was faster than Ed's black hole from before, and before the younger Ed knew it, Ciri was frantic, but the Older Ed was calm, the older Ed tried to calm Ciri down, but then Ed was jolted back to reality.

He was breathing heavily, his body was covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked. He was on the couch of the room he rented for him and Hermione, he looked around him frantically and saw that Hermione was kneeling besides him, looking worried.

"H-Hermione." Ed stammered.

"Bad dream again?" she asked in worry.

"It's different this time…" Ed said, "It's a bizarre dream… it's like I didn't see a dream, but the future instead."

"What did you see?" Hermione questioned a bit curious but also wanted Ed to calm down.

Ed then continued to tell the whole dream in detail, he told her about the young woman named He told her about the frozen land, the light in the crater, he told her about the portal, about her being there being restrained by an old man on the other side of the portal, and the black hole.

Hermione frowned at the dream, "I was there?"

Ed nodded weakly, "Yeah, you were shouting at me about something, but I can't hear what you said, you look dishevelled and frantic…"

"Maybe it's because you're doing something dangerous? You're making another black hole after all…" She thought out loud.

"Maybe…"

Hermione sighed, "You calmed down?" she said as she cupped Ed's left cheek.

Ed hummed, "Thanks Hermione, sorry about the last five days…"

"It's fine." She answered, "I'm just worried about these nightmares you're having."

"I know…" Ed said, "I need to find a way to get rid of it."

Hermione nodded, "Right, as for the dream, it was probably a vision, or just a normal dream, you need to tell Gilligan about it."

"Yeah…" Ed said, "Okay, I'll go freshen up, I'll see you downstairs?"

Hermione nodded with a weak smile on her face, "Yes, Harry said that Ron owled him that he's coming in the afternoon."

Ed hummed, "You're ready to catch the rat?"

"I don't know, Pettigrew will probably tried to escape and looked sick like in the books, so Ron will probably be overprotective to it, and he'll blame Crookshanks as well…" Hermione said, with a scowl on the end.

"Well, Crookshanks is not so bad." Ed said while stroking the sleeping Crookshanks besides the couch.

Hermione chuckled, "Right, I'll see you downstairs in the pub, I'll order you some breakfast."

Ed hummed and Hermione got out of the door. Ed then entered the room, he sat on the couch in the living room and called Gilligan. The owl then appeared in front of him, looking at Ed intently.

"Gilligan, did you saw my dream last night?" Ed said, "I know you have some sort of a connection with the Aldrich, so I think you can…"

Gilligan nodded, "I can…" he said, "And that dream was a flash of the future." He continued.

"Really?" Ed questioned.

Gilligan then continued to explain, "The woman in your vision is Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon."

"That's a long name…" Ed commented, while the owl just glared at Ed.

"Her family is like us, a family that is not bound by a universe."

"So, she's the only Ciri?" Ed asked.

Gilligan nodded, "She can travel to any universe, and to any point in time if she knows where and when to go…"

"That's powerful, so she' like me?"

Gilligan shook his head, "No, while she has a balance between her space and time element, yours is more focused in the space area, she can time travel, while you can't."

Ed nodded, "Understandable."

"Right, now I don't know about the details, but she was last spotted in a universe called the continent."

"The continent? That's rather creative don't you think." Ed commented sarcastically, but Gilligan just ignored him.

"The continent has many parallel universe, but like this world, the one that has Ciri in it is the most different than the rest of them."

Ed hummed, "So what, I'll meet her later in my journey."

"Perhaps…" Gilligan said, "It's probably the Guardian of Knowledge that shown you the vision."

Ed sighed, "Right, I'm going to take a shower now, I've got a rat to catch."

The boy then took some fresh clothes and went to take a shower. After that he tidied himself and gets out of the bedroom in the Leaky Cauldron and walked downstairs to find Hermione.

Downstairs, he found that Hermione were sitting with Harry eating breakfast, while she's stroking Crookshanks in her hand. Hermione noticed Ed's presence in the room and made room for him to sit.

Ed smiled at the girl while sitting beside her, "Hi…"

The girl smiled back more brightly than ever, "Hey, better?"

Ed shrugged, "A new dream is always welcome." Then Ed looked at Harry, "Hello Harry, have you bought your school stuff?"

"I have." Harry answered, "Although there's this book about magical creatures that wants to attack me every chance it get…"

"Just stroke the back." Ed advised, "It'll calm it down."

"Really? I'll try that."

Hermione then asked him again, "Have you started to pack?"

Harry shook his head, "Not yet, I wanted to buy some quidditch things first, then pack."

Hermione hummed, "Well, Ron will probably come this afternoon, so maybe you'll meet him when you buy the quidditch things."

"Right, I'll get going then, you guys enjoy your time." Harry said, finishing his breakfast and stood up. Harry then left the two alone and walked back to his room.

"So…" Ed broke the ice, "What do you want to do before Ron show up?"

"I don't know…" she answered, "What do you want to do?"

Ed shrugged, "Ice cream?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Again? Your teeth will have holes by the end of the year if this goes on." She scolded.

"We have magic Hermione, I'm sure that can be fixed." Ed stated.

Hermione snorted, "Fine, let's go then." She said as she stood up and grabbed Ed's hand to guide him to the Florean Fortescue. Both of them just sat on the shop and enjoyed the ice cream.

"You really like ice creams do you?" Hermione questioned in amusement, looking at Ed with multiple cups of ice creams in front of him.

"Are you kidding? 'Course I am." He said, shoving a spoonful of ice cream to his mouth.

Hermione giggled and just stared at Ed longingly, but Ed didn't noticed it as he was still shoving ice creams to his mouth.

A couple of minutes later, Ed finished his ice cream and asked the girl, "What do you want to do now?"

Hermione thought for a while before answering, "Let's just wait for Ron here, he'll meet me here right?"

Ed shrugged, "Dunno, probably?"

Hermione sighed and asked Ed again, "What's your plan then?"

"What plan?"

"You know… catching the rat?"

Ed stared at Hermione for a second, and then sighing, "To be honest, if right now… I can't do anything, but at school, I can steal it."

Hermione nodded, "So we're going to steal it at school then."

"Got no choice," Ed shrugged, "Unless you want me to attack Ron, then yes, maybe I can do it now."

Hermione hearing this, kicked Ed's leg, making him groan in pain. "Ouch! What was that!?"

"Not funny." She grumbled.

"All right-all right… I'm going to do it in school, I need to talk to Susan to anyway…"

Hermione hummed, and suddenly someone talked besides the two of them.

"What are you two talking about? Why would Ed want to attack me?"

Both of them looked at the source and saw Ron with the rat in his hands looking at them with confusion and suspicion.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, "Here, sit."

Ron still looked suspicious, but Ed noticed that Ron was ogling Hermione rather intently. The redhead then sat with the two of them.

"So? What are you talking about?" Ron asked again.

Hermione then eyed Ed hesitantly, looking for a way to get out of this situation.

Ed sighed, acting in surrender, "I bought a firebolt, so she was wondering how I am going to stop you from talking about it all the time."

Ron was silent for a minute before he screamed, "WHAT!?"

Ed shook his head in annoyance, "Don't talk about the firebolt in front of me Ron, or I will jinx you, I already have to deal with Harry's rambling about it."

Hermione shot a thumbs up to Ed for the save and Hermione continued him, "Yes Ron, it's quite annoying."

"But- how- you?" Ron stuttered some words, gobsmacked at the revelation.

"Please Ron, just stop." Ed said while silently pointing his wand at Ron.

Ron noticed this and gulped loudly, scared at the wand pointing. Hermione also noticed this and kicked Ed's leg again, making him once again groan in pain. "Ouch! Again?! Really?!"

"Don't point your wand at Ron you prat." Hermione scolded playfully. She then was about to say something again but then she saw Harry walking on the alley. She waves her hand at him and shouted his name.

"Harry! Harry!" she shouted, standing up so Harry could notice her, and noticed her he did. He walked towards the group and greeted everyone.

"Hey guys, Ron! You're here!" Harry exclaimed as he sat down on one of the seats.

"Hello Harry, did you really blow up your aunt this summer?" Ron asked as he hold off his laughter.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry sheepishly, while Ron can't hold out his laughter anymore. "I just — lost control."

"Well, she deserves is to be honest… insulting your parents like that…" Hermione scowled.

Ed was surprised at Hermione's attitude, he looked at Hermione strangely, and the girl seems to noticed this.

"What?" she questioned.

Ed snapped out of his thoughts, "No, nothing… it's really rare for you to support someone of actually doing a crime."

Hermione snorted, "Well, staying with you for these last weeks of summer makes my rule-abiding nerve numb, as far as I counted you've broken the same law around twenty times this couple of weeks…"

Ed chuckled nervously, while the other two boys were confusing, "What are you two talking about? Ed broke the wizarding law?"

Hermione shrugged, "He used magic outside of school a lot."

"Oh yeah… how did you to my house that day anyway? I don't remember seeing any car that night…" Harry continued.

"Um… let's just talk about something else, please?" Ed tried to change the subject and pleaded to Hermione.

Hermione sighed at the behaviour and asked Ron, "Aren't you going to buy a tonic or something for your rat Ron?"

Ron looked surprised, "How'd you know that?"

Hermione shrugged once again, "Just guessing, your rat looked sick."

"Um, yes he is…" Ron said, "He's been sick ever since we've got back to be honest."

Hermione eyed Ed for a second before continuing, "Then you should buy a tonic Ron, perhaps I can make you some as well at school."

"You want to? Well, thanks I guess…" Ron said weakly, but then he she stared at Hermione's face rather intently, "What happened to you over the summer by the way… you look — different…"

"Um— well, I fixed my hair and shrink my teeth a little…"

"You look more beautiful this way." Ron commented rather blankly.

"T-Thanks…" she mumbled, not daring to make eye contact with Ron and Ed, so she just stared at her feet under the table.

Ed noticed the interaction and Hermione's reaction, then he stood up and said to the other three, "Well, I'll go back to the Leaky Cauldron now, you guys have fun." Ed then left the trio, but Hermione was looking at Ed's departing figure hesitantly, she seemed to want to follow him, but before she could do it, she was dragged by Harry and Ron to the shops nearby, making her lose her chance to spend more time with Ed.

In the evening, Ed stayed in the suitcase, deciding that it would be better to let Hermione handle the Weasleys while he continued to improve the designs of his inventions.

Right now, he was testing his newly made protective necklace, he theorized that it can blocked physical and magical attacks, and it is quite durable, after some initial prototype, it was now time for field test. He went to the training room and made a dummy wear the necklace.

"Gilligan, do you have some kind of recording device here?" Ed asked the owl besides him.

"The whole room is always recorded Ed, you can take it later." Gilligan informed.

"That's handy." Ed commented, "Right, wherever the recording tool is, this is test number one on the prototype of a protection device I simply named 'Protection Necklace.' And I'm about to do a field test on it." He said, making sure he said that word so he can better sort it out later.

Ed then aimed his wand at the dummy and announced, "All right, spell test one, stupefy!" a burst of red light suddenly appeared out of Ed's wand and shot to the dummy, but it didn't hit it, instead there is a layer of barrier surrounding the necklace.

"Stupefy spell is a success." Ed announced once again, after that, he tried a bunch of spells and all of it worked. "Now, it's the moment of truth, let's see how it can handle the Killing curse." Ed said to the recording device on the room, "Gilligan, if you can, I don't want to cast a killing curse by myself to be honest…"

Gilligan nodded, and he pointed his wing at the dummy, "Avada Kedavra!"

The green light that made Ed shivers suddenly shot to the dummy, and it was knocked for a couple of feet behind, confirming that the necklace isn't strong enough for a killing curse.

He then walked to the necklace and examined it, "It's broken." He said as he let the room sees the necklace, "I don't actually know that the necklace can prevent the killing curse from killing someone, or it wasn't strong enough to defend against it. It may broke because it successfully defended the dummy but barely, or it's just broken because it can't handle the curse…"

Ed sighed, "Well, I guess it's a success then, I'll add this to the finished product alongside the communication device."

Ed then got out of the room and walked towards the living room, and when he arrived, he was greeted by a slightly angry Hermione.

"Hello Hermione, anything wrong?" Ed asked.

"Anything wrong you said? Why are you hiding yourself from the Weasleys? They were looking everywhere for you, I can't just say that you're in the suitcase!" she grumbled, glaring at Ed.

Ed made a nervous chuckle, "Sorry, I was finishing the protective necklace design, and besides, I'd rather cook my own lunch and dinner in here rather than order outside, the food is depressing there…"

Hermione sighed, "So you have eaten?"

"Lunch, yes, Dinner? Not yet, I'm about to make one now, you want some?"

"No, I'm full."

Ed hummed, "Suit yourself."

While Ed was cooking his dinner, Hermione was looking at him cooking, she was quite mesmerized on how he cooked, but Ed once again didn't noticed her stares.

"Have you attempted to steal the rat yet?" Ed suddenly asked, making Hermione snapped out of her thoughts.

"Hm? No… Ron kept pestering me about Crookshanks."

"Well, might as well ask Crookshanks for help."

Hermione chuckled, "Right, I'll tell him once I met him outside."

Ed finished his cooking and put the food on his plate. He brought the food to the living room and eat it there.

"Eat on the dining table Ed…" Hermione scolded.

"It's lonely there, I'd rather be here." Ed countered nonchalantly making Hermione blushed a little bit, and after that she doesn't comment on it anymore.

"Have you learn the Patronus charm Hermione?" Ed asked curiously.

"No… it's quite hard you know." Hermione answered.

"Well, Richard already got it, a corporeal one at that."

"Really? What's his animal?"

"A Raven."

"That's great, in the books mine is an otter right? No wonder you gave me that bracelet on first year…"

Ed chuckled, "Well, it could be different now."

"Different how?" Hermione questioned curiously.

"Let's just see when you learned it." Ed answered vaguely, "You can see my notes in my bag over there if you want."

Hermione instantly nodded and ran to Ed's bag, taking his notes and reading it. She continued to read it while Ed was finishing his food and washed the dishes. "Right, Hermione, I'll go to bed inside the suitcase tonight, you want to sleep outside or inside?"

Hermione stared at Ed for a while before saying, "I'll sleep with you for tonight." She said decisively.

"W-What? Hermione-"

"No arguing this time Ed, you need someone to take care of you when you wake up from the nightmares." Hermione cut off, speaking sternly to Ed, "I'll set up a makeshift bed in your room if you don't want to share a bed with me."

'Damn, she's serious right now.' Ed thought, 'She's not even blushing…'

Ed sighed, "Fine, you know what, we'll just sleep outside, it's better anyway, you take the bed, I'll take the couch as always."

Hermione nodded while still reading the notes. After that, both of them went outside and slept, preparing for departing to school tomorrow.