Disclaimer

There is a story which I am told,

Is owned by a woman of England, jolly old.

She is not me.

For, as you can see,

My version rather breaks her mold.

Chapter Four

The problem with being in dreams, Freddy reflected, is that sometimes even a Dream Lord can't tell what's real. So, when he first went looking for Harry he popped into the mind of Hermione Granger. At first, he didn't realize that it wasn't Harry he was talking to. At least, not until the image of Potter started blatantly snogging said girl. That's when he noticed both were ignoring him.

He quickly figured out what was happening. He took a step back inside a wall, melding into the space between dreams, and observed. He couldn't help a little grin. So what if it was voyeurism at its most invasive? It was still amusing to watch dream-Harry start to strip the girl's rather nice body. It was then that he noticed the real Harry was next to him.

"Some reason for checking your friend's dreams, kid?"

He shook his head. "Nah, was just curious to find out what a bookworm dreams about... And why you were watching." He cocked his head to one side. "I never knew she was into bondage. Kinky."

Freddy nodded. "Most librarian types are. It's a fuckin' stereotype for a reason."

"Mm. So it seems." Harry eyed him. "She on your list?"

The Dream Master shrugged. "Not at the moment. Just a bit bored. Got your next victim lined up yet?"

Harry gave a halfhearted shrug back at him. "I was thinking of branching out from the Hogwarts parents. Maybe some of the others with no solid ties to the school. It would distance things a bit from me."

"Makes sense." They both turned when a rather loud moan from the room caught their attention. "Ooh, flexible."

"Isn't she a bit young for you?"

"Yeah, but no law against watching." Freddy grinned. "Well, there is. But not in dreams."

Harry laughed. "True enough." He paused. "Think she'd let me do that in real life?"

"Ya never know, kid. Ya never know... By the way, that Lovegood girl?"

"Yeah?"

"Stay away from her dreams. I spent half an hour trying to get away. She didn't let me out till I showed her something called a snorwak.. snarkbag... eh, whatever. Just avoid."

Fenrir Greyback moved slowly through the bushes and trees in his wolf form. The twelve point buck in the small clearing hadn't scented him yet. It was still focused on grazing, though every now and then it quivered and lifted its head to sniff the air. It had – at the moment – paused to do so again.

Patiently, he waited for it to return to feeding. Quietly, he crept forward. One moment. Two. The deer blinked and he was on it in a blur of snarling teeth. The kill would be so satisf...

The deer changed. One second it was squealing in pain, the next it was morphing into a horror he'd never encountered before. It was all tentacles, claws, and mouths with sharp teeth. In the time it took his mind to process the change, he had a dozen wounds on his sides and a gash tracing down his foreleg.

He tried to leap away, but the tentacles were stronger than he was. One had wrapped around his left rear leg and another around his waist. The mouth at the tip of it was sliding into his side and chewing on his flesh. A third whip-like appendage had wrapped around his head and expanded at the end so that its maw was wrapped around his snout. It was slicing into his nose and keeping him from biting back.

Worse yet, he could feel himself morphing back into his human form. His blood splattered the grass as parts of his face were left behind in the grasp of the one holding his head. He sucked in a breath, only to release it in a scream of agony as a tendril slid into his chest through one of his wounds and started gnawing on his liver.

He glanced at the monster as he died. It's eyes seemed to devour his very soul in a frozen parody of death. His final fascinated thought was that he couldn't truly see all of it. It was like parts of it existed and parts did not. His mind could not – would not – accept what it was seeing. He had no idea what it was.

Fenrir Greyback had never read any of Lovecraft's works. Harry Potter had.

Bellatrix Lestrange was having a delightful time. She was gussied up and being all but worshiped by the masses in the grand ballroom at the Ministry. This was, of course, only helped by being the favored dance partner of Lord Voldemort. In and out of the bedroom.

She was dancing with him at this very moment. Their music was the screams and cries of the Mudbloods that were being whipped and flayed on one side of the hall. Glowing sconces about the room sent out a green light from the dark marks that were floating above them. They cast eerie shadows but provided more than enough illumination to maneuver by. The pool of blood slowly inching across the floor only made the evening more pleasurable.

The Prophet reporters were moving through the crowd, taking pictures of their world leaders for the society page. Anything that they did was news, though she thought the article on Pettigrew's morning habits was a bit too much. Her Lord had agreed with her, and Wormtail had been granted the "honor" of joining the Mudbloods for the evening. She'd never been happier.

Her Lord smiled down at her, holding her close in his arms. Her hands were smoothing over his velvet robes as she enjoyed the feel of the cloth over his flesh. "My dearest Bella, I have a special surprise for your tonight."

Delighted glee filled her. "Oh, thank you, My Lord."

His serpentine features pulled into a sinister smile. "You remember the deal I made with the Dementors to gain their allegiance?"

"Yes, My Lord." They had slowed to a stop in the middle of the dance floor. He released her and stepped a few paces back.

"It seems that they are in need of payment. Do you know what this means, Bella?"

"My Lord?" The room was growing colder. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed in an attempt to counteract the effect. She suddenly realized that everyone else in the room was clad in strange, ragged cloaks.

"You've been a wonderful toy. However, all things must end." She fell to her knees and reached towards him, begging. "Goodbye, my dear."

Harry enjoyed a lazy Saturday morning shower and then wandered into his common room. He smiled at his friends. Hermione was seated on a cushy sofa. She glanced up at him and then quickly back at her book. If he hadn't seen her dreams the night before, he would have been completely baffled at the blush that crossed her face. As it was, he wondered whether she'd like to re-enact it.

Ron was sitting at the chess set, thoroughly devastating the meager defense Dean Thomas was attempting to build. Seamus was seated at a table, teaching some Muggleborn first years the joys of exploding snap. The occasional booming sound was punctuated by the children's giggles at each others sooty faces. Ginny was scrawling frantically on a parchment. If he had to guess from the content he could see, it was Potions homework. The new professor was tending to overload the classes with theory, but he supposed it was better than Snape's complete lack thereof.

He crossed the room and settled next to his oldest female friend. She smiled at him, then blushed again and turned back to her book. "Good morning, Harry."

He let a small smirk play across his features. "Good morning, Hermione."

She ignored him for several more minutes as he stared at her. Finally, she put her book aside. "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nope. I was wondering... Would you like to go out with me this next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Don't the three of us always go together?"

He rubbed the back of his head. I'm a Dream Lord and a multiple murderer. Yet, I still have trouble asking a girl out. Go figure. "Um... I meant... as a date."

Her chocolatey brown eyes widened and she blushed. "Um... Sure. I think... I think I'd like that."

He smiled at her. Things are finally looking up.

Just wanted to point out, for those who haven't noticed. I have a poll up on my profile. I only have four voters thus far. /pout/ Anyone interested in the Balance Keeper verse, please add your opinions. I really do want some suggestions on where to pull the next Balance Keeper from.