Chapter 8: Secrets in Dreams

Head Boy Room, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Sebastian Prince had been covered in sweat and trembling. His raven hair stuck to his forehead. His pale lips had been closed tightly while he gripped the ends of his bed in a kind of death lock. Draco had awoken to find him in this state. It had terrified the young albino wizard to no end. The junior Malfoy grabbed his wand and cast a lighting spell. Sebastian had appeared to be locked in the grips of an intense nightmare. Draco had no idea what had brought this on. He had not been able to recall a single moment since their meeting that would have been the catalysis for this. He had surely never had dreams of this nature before. The young albino wizard had been filled with panic as his gray eyes scanned his friend for signs of injury but there had appeared to be none.

"Bastian." he said trying to reach his friend. "Bastian wake up."

The raven haired wizard gave no indication that he had heard him.

"Bastian." said Draco frantic. "I-I don't know how to help you."

Still there was no indication that anything Draco said was heard. He tried to shake his friend to rouse him but it didn't do any good. The dream seemed to be so intense that Sebastian had bitten his bottom lip drawing blood. Draco's eyes widened. The pain had not even been enough to awaken him.

{ A dark figure stood on a hill surrounded by nothing but rolling blackness and what appeared to be smoke. It's eyes had glowed red and it's appearance like that of a kind of reptile. Sebastian found himself down on his knees before this dark figure. It had been pleased. The air had been thick with tension and the smell of death was abundant. Try as he might, Sebastian had been unable to get a clear view of the red eyed figure but he could tell that it had been male from the sound of it's voice. Wither or not it had been human was concealed by the chill in it's tone and the cloak of the darkness.

"You have done well." hissed the dark figure.

Sebastian continued to kneel not looking up as something touched him on his shoulder.

"You have made me proud." said the dark figure.

Sebastian felt a feeling of absolute relief and a hint of something else...satisfaction.

"Rise." commanded the dark figure.

Sebastian got to his feet not meeting the eyes of the dark figure. He instead turned his gaze to the darkened plains that surrounded them. He realized that they had been standing in a clearing with smoke and ash surrounding them.

"I could not have asked for a better servant." hissed the dark figure. "You have disposed of those mud-bloods with such artistry."

Sebastian felt himself smile.

"Anything for you my lord." he heard himself say.

The clearing had been suddenly filled with various corpses. Battered and mangled with their eyes open with terror permanently etched across their twisted faces.

Sebastian looked down at his hands.

They had been covered in blood as if he had been painted with it.

A loud cackle filled his ears and his heart rate increased.

"Such potential." said a female voice. "I don't doubt the half-blood's skill...but are you sure he will be loyal to us?"

"He is my faithful servant." hissed the dark figure approvingly.}

Sebastian had been filled with panic as his eyes shot open further terrifying an already frantic Draco Malfoy who had just enough time to move before the raven haired wizard shot out of bed and bolted for the loo. The sound of the young wizard retching within had confused the junior Malfoy.

"Bastian?" he said standing at the door. "Do you need me to get Slughorn?"

"NO!" shouted Sebastian from the other side of the door. "I just...I need some time to myself Draco."

Draco sighed.

"Y-You seemed to be having a nightmare." he said trying to keep himself calm for his friend's sake.

"Nightmare barely describes it." replied Sebastian. "I-I'll be fine...go back to bed."

Draco sighed again.

"Alright but if it happens again I'm getting someone." he replied.

Draco made his way back to bed.

Sebastian looked at himself in a mirror. That dream had seemed so real. The feelings he felt had been. He looked down at his hands. They had been clean. The only sign of blood had been from his lower lip where he had bitten it in the grips of the nightmare. What's happening to me? Why did all of that seem so real? W-Who were those people?

Unable to obtain the answers to his questions Sebastian summoned his tooth brush and tooth powder. He brushed his teeth riding himself of the fowl after taste of his vomit and threw some water on his face before he headed back to bed. He had hoped that whatever nightmare he had been lost in had passed.

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Defense Against The Dark Arts Class, Hogwarts...

Professor Lupin had noticed the Sebastian had not been his usual self that morning when he arrived. He had only done half of the note-taking that he usually had whenever he had been in class. He had not seemed to have gotten much sleep and it showed a great deal. Upon the curious notion to find out what had been bothering the raven haired young Slytherin. Lupin had moved the lesson plan up a bit. He stood before the class and waved his wand. A large black trunk appeared in the front of his desk.

"Everyone that's enough note taking." he said. "I would like you to get to your feet and move back along the far wall."

Hermione looked up at Lupin confused for a moment.

"Oh no." groaned Ron knowing exactly where this was going.

"Boggarts." said Harry feeling apprehension of his own.

Sebastian had looked at them with an eyebrow arched in confusion.

"Boggarts?" he said as if the name had been some form of a joke.

"They're amortal, shape-shifting, non-beings that take the form of the viewers worst fear." supplied Hermione in her usual know-it-all demeanor.

"Thank you Granger, the walking encyclopedia of Hogwarts." said Sebastian.

"You're welcome Sebastian Prince, the miniature resident Slytherin Git of Hogwarts." replied Hermione un-phased.

Harry, Ron, Draco, and Ginny laughed at this.

Sebastian grumbled something and turned his attention back to Professor Lupin. All the students got to their feet and did as he instructed. The Professor waved his wand and every desk vanished for the time being. He had all his students stand in a single file line. At his behest he had Sebastian at the front with Harry, Ron, Draco, and Hermione behind him. The large black trunk had been in the center of the nearly empty room. Sebastian looked at it for a moment.

There had not seemed to be anything special about it.

"Alright Mr. Prince." said Lupin. "On the count of three I'm going to open that trunk and whatever boggart comes out of it...I want you to think of the funniest thing you could imagine and then I want you to wave your wand and shout "RIDDIKULUS"...to banish it understand?"

Sebastian looked at him for a moment.

He had not thought much of this boggart business but he had liked Professor Lupin.

"Yes sir." said Sebastian resigning himself for whatever test this had been.

Lupin looked down at the young raven haired wizard. Normally, he would have been quite enthusiastic about being able to engage the dark arts in some fashion. There had definitely been something bothering him.

"Alright Mr. Prince." he said. "Remember what I said."

Sebastian readied his wand.

"One...Two..." counted Professor Lupin.

Sebastian took a breath.

"Three!" said Professor Lupin.

He waved his wand and the trunk flew open. The boggart flew out and started shifting and changing before everyone's eyes. Hermione looked at Sebastian as he stared into it. He had been tense. Much more tense than she had ever seen him. Draco had looked worried watching him as well. Harry had his wand gripped tightly in his fingers as if preparing himself for whatever was bound to happen.

The Boggart shifted until it became a smoke clad creature with glowing red eyes. Sebastian froze with his wand hand trembling.

"Voldemort." said Harry staring into the red eyes of the creature.

The mention of the name seemed to register with Sebastian as the image became much more clear. The snake-like face appeared and his eyes glared at The young raven haired wizard.

Hermione stepped passed Harry, Ron and Draco who had not taken their eyes off the creature. She drew her wand in it's direction.

"RIDDIKULUS!" she shouted.

The boggart had vanished back into it's trunk.

Sebastian continued to stand in the same spot terror stricken.

{ The despot known as Voldemort sat on his stone throne with his eyes gleaming. He had been irate at the failure of yet another attempt against Albus Dumbledore's Order of Phoenix. He waved his hand cursing his black robe clad followers with ruthless prejudice. His red eyes smoldering in absolute rage.}

Sebastian suddenly dropped to his knees as if he had been stricken with the curse himself. His body had been trembling and it seemed as if he could feel the pain as fresh as the day it occurred. Without so much as a passing thought, Hermione had run toward him and kneeled down beside him. Sebastian shook for a few moments gritting his teeth.

"Sebastian." said Hermione concerned. "Sebastian, are you okay?"

The raven haired wizard steeled himself after a moment. He pushed his fear in the back of his mind with a swift determination that Lupin had seen only once.

"I'm fine." he replied with his voice a little cold.

Hermione looked at him for a moment. She had not wished to upset him. He had just looked so helpless standing there stricken with fear. Sebastian got to his feet right along with Hermione. He took a deep breath and turned his attention back to Professor Lupin who studied him curiously.

"Send it out again Professor." he said evenly.

Lupin looked from him to Hermione who had a worried expression on her face.

"A-Are sure that's what you want?" he asked.

Sebastian's obsidian eyes seemed to reflect a hollowed change that had come over him.

"Yes." he said in an emotionless tone.

Lupin nodded and readied his wand.

"Alright Mr. Prince." he said. "Once more."

Sebastian looked at Hermione who took her place back in the line. She had not been too sure about attempting this when he had obviously been so afraid of the boggart Voldemort. She gave him his space anyway respecting his wishes.

"One...Two." counted Professor Lupin.

Sebastian had been ready.

"Three!" said Lupin waving his wand and releasing the boggart once more.

Just as before The image of Voldemort appeared. This time Sebastian flicked his wand with a speed unheard of and shouted the incantation.

"RIDDIKULUS!" came his voice unshaken and clear.

Everyone watched as the despot Voldemort shifted and took on a new form. Red glowing eyes became blue. The long grey cloak bathed in smoke became a light blue robe imprinted with half moon shapes. A long white beard appeared swaying some as the creature continued to shift. Hermione looked up in surprise.

"It's Dumbledore!" she said.

The class laughed right along with Lupin as boggart Dumbledore reached for a box of Lemon drops with the Weasley brother's logo and swallowed it.

"He's eating Weasley candy!" said Draco amused.

In a matter of seconds Dumbledore had smoke coming out of his ears and his pallor had changed as many times as Ron's had when he ate the candy. Lupin had been quite amused by the creativity behind this.

"Good job Mr. Prince." he said approvingly.

Sebastian smiled coolly.

The class clapped for him and He took his place at the back of the line.

"Next." said Professor Lupin.

Harry came up front. He tightened his grip on his wand.

"I'm ready Professor." he said looking rather determined at the black trunk in the center of the room.

"Alright Harry." said Professor Lupin. "You know what to do."

Harry nodded.

"One...Two..." counted Professor Lupin. "Three."

The trunk opened and the boggart came flying out. It twirled and shifted until it took the form of a pale man with a lean figure and obsidian eyes. He wore black robes and had lank raven hair.

"Professor Snape." said Neville Longbottom.

The boggart continued to twitch and shift.

Another man appeared clad in grey robes.

"It's a death eater." said Ron not taking his eyes off the scene.

The Boggart Professor Snape had been suddenly struck by the random death eater and appeared to be killed. Harry gripped his wand tightly and shouted the incantation.

"RIDDIKULUS!" came his voice clear and steady.

Professor Lupin had been quite confused at first. Apparently Harry's great fear that the time had been the death of Professor Snape. The class had been quite amused when Harry's imagination ventured into showing off Professor Snape's dance moves. Ron Weasley had been next. He gripped his wand.

"Alright Mr. Weasley." said Professor Lupin. "On the count of three."

Ron took a breath.

"One...two..." counted Professor Lupin as before. "Three."

Ron watched as the boggart swirled and shifted before him. The class had gotten a kick out of boggart taking the form of none other than Sebastian Prince.

"It's Sebastian." said one of the other students.

"He looks just like Professor Snape." said another.

Sebastian stood with his arms across his chest and an annoyed scowl on his face.

"Really Weasley?" he said.

The Boggart continued to shift and a sandy brown haired Gryffindor witch appeared.

"Hermione?" said Harry looking at the witch.

Hermione glared at Ron. She should have known his mind could not grasp anything except irrational fears. Lupin had been puzzled as he continued to watch this development.

Boggart Sebastian and Boggart Hermione started snogging.

The class laughed looking back and forth between Sebastian who appeared to be unimpressed and Hermione who had been red from flushing. Ron waved his wand and shouted the incantation.

"RIDDIKULUS!" he said.

Suddenly Boggart Hermione pulled her wand and started hexing Boggart Sebastian. She turned him into a frog and then green and made steam come out of his ear. The scene finished with her spelling a bucket of water and dropping it on him. Everyone but Sebastian and Hermione saw this as amusing.

The raven haired Slytherin glared at Ron as he took his place in the back of the line.

"You know what this means don't you Weasley?" he asked in an icy tone.

Ron gulped and tried his best to ignore the threat in the Slytherin's voice. Draco Malfoy had been next. His fear had been of Hagrid's hippogriff Buckbeak trying to eat him. He waved his wand and shouted the incantation and Buckbeak turned into a chicken diner. Harry glared at Draco and Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?" he asked. "That chicken deserved it."

He shuffled back to the line. Sebastian smirked as Draco approached.

"A hippogriff?" he said amused.

"That chicken tried to kill me." replied Draco in his own defense.

Sebastian shook his head.

"Draco, sometimes I wonder about you." he said echoing Draco's previous words to him.

Draco laughed.

Hermione Granger stepped forward. She gripped her wand in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Miss Granger." said Professor Lupin. "I believe you know what to do."

Hermione nodded firmly and focused on the black trunk.

Professor Lupin initiated the count.

"One...Two..." he said. "Three."

The trunk flew open and the boggart flew out once more. The class watched as it shifted and twirled in the air. Sebastian had paid special attention to it wanting to know what Hermione's worst fear had actually been. He had been a little stunned as the boggart once again took on his form.

"It's Sebastian again." said a student.

Professor Lupin looked at the raven haired wizard.

"Inspiring terror within the hearts of Gryffindors eh Mr. Prince?" he said.

Sebastian shrugged absently.

"All in a day's work I guess." he replied.

"I'm sure you do Professor Snape proud." said Professor Lupin.

Sebastian simply smirked.

The boggart Sebastian set upon Hermione saying quite venomous things to her to make her cry. Sebastian looked on with a raised eyebrow. The class looked back between him and the boggart.

"What?" he asked aloud.

They turned their attention back to Boggart Sebastian as Hermione waved her wand and spoke the incantation.

"RIDDIKULUS." she said with determination.

Boggart Sebastian had suddenly become something of a sweet paramour.

The class started laughing.

Sebastian grumbled something about "emotional Gryffindors" with his arms across his chest.

Draco looked at him with a knowing smirk.

"It seems your not the only one that has it bad." he said.

"I have no idea what your talking about." replied Sebastian.

"I'm sure Granger just so happens to want you to put the moves on her because she finds it will be disarm your hostility." said Draco sarcastically.

Sebastian rolled his eyes.

Class came to an end but Hermione found it hard to meet Sebastian's eyes after that. Everyone filed out and spilled into the corridors. She had planned to walk as fast as she possibly could to get to her rooms and hide from the embarrassment. It had been a good plan in retrospect but it was not to be. She found herself pulled into a secluded niche.

She squealed when she found herself pressed up against a cold stone wall.

"So Granger." he purred the voice of Sebastian Prince in her ear. "Is this what you've wanted from me?"

Hermione couldn't reply before he swept her in his arms and kissed her as he had in that day in the library. He had felt so good in her embrace. She closed her eyes letting him take the lead in their snogging session.

"I think Weasley had the right idea." said Sebastian teasing.

"About hexing you definitely." replied Hermione.

Sebastian snorted and proceeded to kiss her some more.

Hermione giggled trying to pull away in a mock fashion.

"You know there's going to be some type of riot because of this." she said.

"Because a Slytherin and a Gryffindor are snogging in the halls of Hogwarts?" asked Sebastian amused.

Hermione laughed.

"There's that wicked sense of humor." she said.

Sebastian's obsidian eyes flickered with desire.

"I would love to show you just how "wicked" I can be." he replied.

They kissed again.

"I have to get to the common room before someone sends out a search party." she said.

"No doubt it will be Weasley." replied Sebastian.

Hermione smirked.

"If I didn't know any better I would say that you were jealous." she said.

"Of Weasley?" asked Sebastian as if outraged. "More like he's jealous of me...and who can blame him..."

Hermione looked at him with a raised eye brow.

"It must have something to do with the beautiful and brilliant witch in my arms." said Sebastian smoothly.

Hermione smiled.

"You really think I'm beautiful?" she asked.

Sebastian sighed.

"Granger just take the compliment." he said. "It's not like I am accustomed to giving them out."

Hermione considered this.

"Well thank you anyway." she replied.

They shared one last kiss before she headed off to Gryffindor tower and he to the Slytherin dungeons. Little had Ronald Weasley known, his worst fears had already come to pass.