Next Time Around

The ritual II

Authors note:
So, some background in this chapter and finally some plot development. I just had a bust of inspiration so here you have it- an update within two days.

Disclaimer: I don't own HP universe. I don't make any money off of this, but my OC's are exactly that. Mine. So yeah, don't copy please.

Enjoy!

It was dark. So, so dark. Harry couldn't see or feel or hear or even smell anything. The darkness was heavy. He couldn't move in it. So he just lay there, waiting, thinking.

Harry didn't know for how long he had been laying there -days, years, seconds- when he saw a dot of light. And a little later, the spot grew bigger. And bigger. And bigger. Eventually, it "swallowed" him. He found that he could move again. Feel, walk, even hear eventually. Because he did hear. He heard voices, murmuring softly if the background.

For a moment he wondered if he had gone insane, but then he thought back at what Dumbledore had told him during his seventh year. 'Just because it's inside of your head, doesn't mean it's not real.'

He wondered if the same applies here. He wondered, was this actually his own mind? He had certainly never seen anything like this before in his own mind... not even when he was nearly dead- like what was happening with the ritual now.

He decided to head to the chattering. Everything was still a bright, bright white, so it was slightly hard to navigate though it, but he felt like he had gotten the hang out of it after a little while. It was simple really, just walk with your eyes closed, focused on the sounds.

Eventually, he came to a stop. It seemed like the noise was right next to him now, though he couldn't understand a word of it.

He cleared his throat. 'Hello? Is there anyone here?'

His voice was slightly hoarse. He might have screamed before passing out then.

The murmurs grew louder. He was just about to try again, when a voice said. 'Oh child, but we have been here all along.'

'Why can't I see you then, or understand you?'

'You can. Just change it for yourself. In this place of existence you are god. You can change anything if you want.'

'How? I still can't understand the others...'

'Just simply think. Think about it and it will happen. As I said, you have absolute control here.'

Harry fleetingly wished he had that kind of control out of this world as well. It took him a while, but slowly the brightness dimmed and he could see around a bit better. Most things around were rather hazy and unclear, but there were definitely people standing in front of him, eyeing him up curiously. One of them started talking rapidly again, and Harry quickly tried to make it so that he could understand as well.

'... and it's just spiffing to see another we can teach, oh look at the dear.'

Another nodded. 'Oh yes he's going to be quite something coming out of here... I can't wait to start!'

One of the people- a rather rounded female- straight up grabbed his cheek and patted his head. 'Isn't he just adorable? Look at those cheeks, oh we're going to make a warrior out of you, child.'

Harry, slightly overwhelmed and embarrassed, replied 'I'll have you know, I'm eighteen now- an adult!'

His companions smiled and nodded at him indulgently. 'Of course you are, hun. Have you ever even killed before? Hurt others? Because believe me, you're still wet behind the ears.'