Disclaimer - None of this belongs to me! Etc etc.

Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I got distracted reading some of the stories I found on Slytherin66's profile - Good Favorites!

Thanks to all for the reviews and the advice. I will keep trying to improve my story as I go and hope you all will R&R and provide feedback - constructive please! I know this chapter is a little shorter than the last but I wanted to get some out while I had it in my mind and I know how hard it is to wait for an update!

Warm.

Warm and comfortable.

These were the first thoughts going through the head of Harry Potter as he slowly regained consciousness. A slight breeze was flowing over him as he lay there, his head slightly elevated and resting on a cushiony surface. Without giving it much more thought Harry burrowed into the warm feelings he was getting. When he felt someone starting to run their fingers through his hair, Harry stilled and frowned slightly before giving into the comfort being given.

That feels nice. Harry thought, sighing slightly. I wonder who that is? His eyes opened slightly, squinting as he noticed a ring of red around what was someone's face. The obvious red hair caused a flash of memory from his day earlier, of his talk with Susan, a warm blush filling his face.

Frowning, Harry started trying to remember what happened to lead up to this moment. I was walking to the Hospital Wing to visit my friends... Someone shouted out... What happened... Harry thought harder and harder, straining to remember who shouted out... Draco! Harry thought with a start as his eyes shot open and he jumped to his feet, startling the person stroking his hair as he wildly looked around, looking for danger.

What the... Harry thought in surprise as he stopped and frowned in confusion. The sun was shining down on him as he stood in a open glade, trees surrounding him, a warm breeze surrounding him, helping him to feel at ease. A chuckle behind him made him remember the person with him and he spun around, his eyes widening in shock.

"Who are you?" Harry said quietly, tears already forming in his eyes.

The person rose to her feet and smiled at him. She was slightly taller than him, flowing red hair moving in the wind, her hands held out placatingly.

"Harry, you know who I am." The woman said, taking a step towards him.

Harry backed up one step for each one she took towards him. "I know who you look like, but that's not possible." Harry said, tears already falling. "It's not possible." Harry stumbled and fell, his hands covering his face as sobs racked his body. "It's not possible" he said, over and over, quietly and to himself.

"It is possible, just not probable." A male voice said, warmth filling his voice. "Give us a chance to explain Harry."

Harry kept rocking, crying out the pain and suffering he had been holding in for almost 15 years. Warm arms circled around him as two people comforted him in a way he had only ever dreamed of before. After a few minutes Harry seemed to calm down and finally he looked up at the two people with him. "Is this a dream?"

The man and woman with him slid back slightly so he could face them, both glancing at each other before the man nodded at the woman, a decision being made.

"It is but it isn't." She said causing Harry to look confusingly at her. Sighing, she started again. "It's hard to explain but we are as real as we can be. Right now you are asleep and because of this, we have been given the chance to talk to you, but only briefly."

Harry stared at the pair in shock, wonder and hope filling his eyes. "Will... Will I remember this when I wake up?"

"We wouldn't be here if you wouldn't son." The man said, laughter in his eyes.

The emotions were too much for him. With a sudden burst of energy Harry Potter leapt into the air and hugged the two people in front of him and they pulled him into the first parental hug he could remember. "Mum... Dad... I've got so much to tell you!"

Cold

Cold and in shock

These were the feelings flowing through Susan Bones as she stared at the tied up and stunned young man in front of her. Numbly she noticed Fred and George Weasley holding Ginny back as she tried to get at Malfoy, she could barely hear the shouts. Slowly, her gaze moved around the corridor, passing over Madame Pomfry, herself standing in shock with her hand over her mouth. Next to her, Neville determinedly held his wand on the boy on the floor. She could see where he had attempted to fix it after the events at the Ministry and in the back of her mind she was surprised his spell had even worked earlier. Continuing her sweep she started in shock as she noticed Luna Lovegood staring straight at her, not 5 feet in front of her.

"I wouldn't worry too much about Harry." Luna said quietly "He'll be around soon enough."

"What?" Susan said, feeling slightly stupid as she came out of her shocked state.

Luna looked around the room in her normal, airy fashion before looking back at Susan, suddenly seeming a lot more serious. "I'd imagine you have an owl to send."

An owl? Susan thought in confusion. Why would I... Auntie! She needs to know about Malfoy. Susan looked back at Luna and nodded, before walking off determinedly, no one else noticing as she walked off. Malfoy is NOT going to get away with it this time.

Luna stared after the red head as she strode around the corner, a small smile playing on her lips. The anger and confusion in the room was silenced by a shout.

"Longbottom! Explain why you have one of my students tied up!" Snape shouted as the stalked into the corridor, the Headmaster and Deputy following in his wake.

Neville glanced up at the potions master before focusing back on the bound student. "He cast an unforgivable at Harry, Sir" The 'sir' coming out sounding very sarcastically, causing the Weasleys in the room to snigger slightly before the seriousness of the event to wash back over them.

"Then pray tell, Longbottom, where is the Gryffindor Golden Boy? You will untie my student you blithering fool!" Snape bellowed as he stood in front of the suddenly confident young man.

"Severus. Please calm down before the situation becomes out of hand." Albus Dumbledore's voice came out placatingly as the teacher suddenly realized he was surrounded by wands pointing at him from the students, all held firm and unwaveringly.

"Now, let's put down the wands and explain what happened." Dumbledore stated calmly. "Mr. Longbottom?"

Eyes not moving from the teacher in front of him, Neville responded to the headmaster. "I would prefer it if Professor Snape moved back, sir. I don't want to be caught of guard."

Gasps of shock, from both the students and teachers present were heard, Snape's eyes narrowing dangerously. "Mr. Longbottom! You will lower your wand when the Headmaster asks you to!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed.

Neville sighed and slowly lowered his wand. "Headmaster. Test Malfoy's wand."

Dumbledore reached down and picked up the wand in question. As he reached out to cast the spell Professor Snape intervened "You aren't seriously going to do this? Potter isn't even here!"

"That's because he disappeared." Luna's eery voice proclaimed. "The Nargles tell me he is safe though."

Snape sneered at the young Ravenclaw while Dumbledore turned to her. "Ms. Lovegood, what do you mean by disappeared?"

Neville spoke up. "Susan and I were coming to visit our friends and as we turned the corner we noticed Harry about to enter. I was about to shout out and say hi when Malfoy came around the other end, shouted at him and cast the Cruciatus. As Harry was shouting out, he suddenly started to float up and a bright light flashed and he was gone. That's when Susan and I stunned and tied him up. The others burst out of the hospital room and then you showed up."

Dumbledore looked at the others standing in the room and then cast the spell to reveal the previous ones cast. First among those was definitely the Cruciatus spell. Professor McGonagall gasped again as the echo was revealed. I need to try and contain this. If Mr. Malfoy is taken in we will loose him to Voldemort. And what happened to Mr. Potter? Dumbledore thought, then looked around again questioningly. "Where is Ms. Bones?"

Susan rushed through the castle, practically running down the corridors. I need to get an owl out, Auntie needs to know about this! Knowing Snape he will do anything he can to get Malfoy off and that is NOT happening! I might not have helped Harry at the Ministry, but I will not fail him!

Susan sped up her pace. Suddenly her path was impeded by a body and they tumbled over together.

"Watch where you're... Susan?" Susan's friend Hannah asked "What's the rush?"

"Not now Hannah, I need to get to the owlery as quickly as possible." Susan said in a rush as she stood back up and sped back off, Hannah in pursuit. I need a fast owl Susan thought, her mind whirling as she worried her lip, I know which one is the fastest, but will Harry mind...

Susan burst into the owlery, her eyes searching for the distinctive snowy owl, only to be shocked as it landed lightly on her shoulder. "Hedwig!" Susan exclaimed. "I need to send a note to my Aunt at the Ministry, will you take it? It's for Harry." Hedwig seemed to nod her head, rubbing it against Susan's cheek. Susan laughed nervously before patting down her robes. "Damn! I don't have any parchment!" Susan frantically shouted.

A piece of parchment and a quill were thrust in front of her face by her best friend. "When this is over, you're telling me everything, got it!" Hannah said determinedly.

Susan only nodded, wrote out a quick note and tied it to the owl on her shoulder. "Take this to Amelia Bones at the DMLE, OK Hedwig, fast as possible!" Susan asked.

The owl chirped and them flew out of the room. Susan sighed and almost collapsed against the wall. "Hannah, you will never believe this."

Harry sat in the glade, feeling happier than he had for months, maybe even years. He knew in his mind that this wasn't real but in his heart, he was finally meeting his parents. It might be a dream but he believed that the people he was talking to, hearing about their lives and telling them about his, were true manifestations of his parents somehow. It didn't matter to him, at the end of the day magic could do anything.

"I'm sure you have some questions for us, Harry." James Potter said, humor in his voice "We only have a short time here, so we should get one thing out of the way." James stood up and walked over to his son. Kneeling down next to him, James reached out and grasped his head, one had on his forehead over Harry's scar. Harry looked questioningly at his mother.

"Harry. We have a couple of things to tell you, some things you will need to do when you wake up and some people we are going to want you to talk to." Lily Potter said lovingly. "However, there is one gift that we have for you. Your dad is going to help you but it might hurt a bit. Trust us."

Harry nodded into his Dad's hand. James grasped harder and suddenly a blinding pain seemed to erupt from his scar, Harry exclaiming in pain as Lily held his hand. Before Harry collapsed for the second time that day, this time in his dream which confused him as he fell, he noticed a black, writhing ball in his father's hand. As his eyes closed with his mother's fingers running through his hair again, he say the ball shrink into nothing with a small pop.

End chapter 2