Grin & Grim
In the dark, damp cave, the sound of dripping water echoed through the hollow.
There was a gaunt figure—or rather, something that looked like a person. It was completely naked, exposing gray skin, with nothing but rags on its body like a House-elf.
At that moment, it crouched atop a black rock, washing something in the cave water with both hands.
"Let's wash it clean," said the little monster. "As long as I'm here, those ugly, hypocritical, cunning thieves will never lay a finger on you, my precious."
Pomona thought this dream was truly strange. The little monster before her reminded her of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings.
He had once been a Hobbit named Sméagol. While fishing, he discovered the One Ring. Tempted by it, he murdered his friend and gradually transformed under its power. He lived in a cave for five hundred years, until one day the Ring grew tired of him, escaped from his possession, and was found by Frodo's uncle Bilbo Baggins, who brought it back to the Hobbit village...
Pomona opened her eyes.
Bright sunlight streamed in through the window. Elaine had barely changed since the Middle Ages, and for one brief moment, Pomona thought she had arrived in the world of The Lord of the Rings.
"You're awake?" Severus sat by the window, examining the astrological manuscript she had drawn yesterday in the sunlight. "The mille-feuille you wanted is on the table. Get up quickly if you want to eat it."
Pomona looked toward the wooden table. Sure enough, there was a slice of mille-feuille under a Warming Charm, from the very shop where she had wanted to queue yesterday before being driven off by people cutting in line.
"I had a dream," Pomona said. "I dreamed of Gollum."