12/22 AN: Hey everyone, my computer is back!!!!! YAY Updates will happen within a day. 3~~~~~~~~~~~~


Harry Potter sat in his private rooms at Hogwarts, staring out the window. The sun was shining happily, making the lake sparkle and the Forbidden Forest shine a luminous emerald green. His eyes slowly cast down to his lap, where his black kitten, Whisper, lay purring contently as his frail hands stroked the soft fur.

Sirius and Remus had found the feline and gave him to Harry for a friend before they'd left on a mission early 5th year. They still hadn't returned and were presumed dead by many, something which he refused to think. A shiver ran through his system, his body feeling cold and numb at the mere thought of them being unwell. They were all he had left. Without them, he wouldn't know what to do.

Picking up Whisper, who protested meekly with a few high pitched mews, he took a seat on the couch and placed the kitten in his lap again. He pulled out the novel that Remus had given him last year, saying it was his mother's favorite, and draped his father's invisibility cloak over his legs. A sense of comfort unlike one he'd had before settled into him.

Before he could help it, sleep began to over take him. Harry tried to fight it off, but it swallowed him up quickly. Please, no nightmares...


Harry sat in the Great Hall quietly, seated at the Slytherin table, waiting for the rest of the student body to arrive. A fleeting thought crossed his mind before disappearing into nothing. Students began filling in, chit-chatting loudly amongst each other. Friends grouped with each other, smiling and laughing as they shared summer stories. A few late arriving professors strode in easily, sitting down at the heads table with stoic grace.

The new Defence professor, a woman with dark hair and olive skin named Dahlia Comyns, was talking to Snape. His Head of House kept glancing at him as the hall steadily filled up, his piercing black eyes making Harry shiver. All the Slytherin's were bunched together at the top of the table, leaving the seats around him completely empty.

Professor McGonagall led the line of first years, some in awe of the ceiling, others looking terrified. A flash of red drew his eyes to the Gryffindor table. A bitter tendril of betrayal clawed through him as he watched the house that had kicked him out a year and a half ago. He could still remember that day so vividly--

Harry closed his eyes and brought himself to the future quick enough to see a rich red-headed girl get sorted into Ravenclaw. On her way, another girl slapped her hand, smiling.

"Blair, Chandelle!" McGonagall called. The same girl who slapped hands with the Ravenclaw skipped forward, her silver-white hair catching the candle light in an eerily fantastical way. The hat was placed on her head and called out, "SLYTHERIN!"

The new snake walked over to the table calmly and sat down across from Harry. She smirked at him, her pale lavender eyes gazing kindly, before returning to the sorting of her yearmates. Harry watched on, not particularly caring as the seats to his left steadily began filling with secretly nervous first years. Dumbledore stood, calling the hall into silence.

"To first years, welcome. To others, welcome back. First years, note that the Forbidden Forest is just that, forbidden, as is using magic in the halls. For a list of banned items, check our caretaker, Mr. Filch's, office. Also, please welcome Professor Comyns, who has kindly agreed to fill the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now, to the feast!" Food spread across the tables, making some of the first years gasp in surprise.


"Draco," Pansy said, her short hair almost hanging into a plate of food while leaning across a gladly yielding Blaise, "Your godfather is giving us the 'We need to talk immediately' look." Draco looked up to Severus, their eyes meeting intensely for several seconds. The blond nodded curtly and turned back to the other seventh years.

"Tonight in the common room, after curfew, all years." The group nodded discreetly and continued to eat.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Chandelle asked to Harry, taking a long sip of pumpkin juice. Harry cast his dark green eyes over to the first year, keeping his expression neutral. Her lavender eyes stared at him a long while as if searching for something. When she found what she was looking for, she took a bite of her spotted dick and said, "You should eat something anyways, you know. It's unhealthy not to."

Harry sighed, putting a potato slice and a small chicken leg on his plate and slowly eating them. For once, his stomach didn't protest.


Draco looked around the Slytherin common room, slowly taking in the familiar site of light stone walls with forest green drapery and rugs. Everyone was there, from tiny first years to confident seventh years, except Severus and, of course, Potter. Who, as usual, could not be found. The common room silenced as Severus finally entered with his characteristic furl of his robes.

"Now," Snape began coldly, his voice drawling, "Let's see who we've got here"


Unwanted tears slipped from the small teens eyes. His stomach heaved, vomit rising in his throat. He retched again, more tears slipping down the cheeks. I shouldn't have eaten so much at dinner. Only at times like these did Harry wish for a soothing hand to rub his back as his body continued to rid itself of what little he had eaten. Even just a motherly voice to whisper comforting words would be nice.

Harry turned his head from the toilet he'd been retching in, reached up with a shaky hand and pulled on the handle. He lay his head on his arm, shivering and sobbing. His breath began to steady, as his mind and body succumbed to exhaustion.


"I can't believe Severus is making us play nice with Potter," grumbled Theodore, a fierce, dark eyed seventh year. Every second and third year glared at him. One second year boy crossed his arms and kicked Theo's shin.

"Don't talk about him like that! You don't know anything about him!"

"Shut up, runt." Theo pushed him away, scowling. The blond boy glared icily before turning and running out.

"Theodore Nott," Millicent huffed, her light brown hair falling into her pale gold eyes, "Control your temper!" She pulled Pansy with her to their dormitory, a frown marring her face. After that, the common room was all but slow to empty. The second year returned, falling asleep on a couch, anxiously awaiting for someone he considered a friend.


"Look at what we have here-"

"Itty bitty baby Potter,"

"Come on Potter, lets play awhile."

Harry gasped, springing up, his arms shaking as he pushed himself from the toilet to a standing position. He readjusted his glasses, rubbing the indentation they'd made. Opening the stall door, he silently walked out of the unused boys bathroom.

On his way, he passed the sleeping portrait of the Fat Lady. Something rose up within him, then settled as a deep ache in his heart and buried itself away. He paused, his ever paling hands reaching out, before shaking his head and walking away.

Harry stepped into the dank common room, the green flames giving off an eerie glow that he was quite used to. A murmur came from one of the black leather couches. Looking carefully over the back of the seat, he took in the sight of a blond second year laying fast asleep. Harry wracked his mind for a name. Wasn't he... Jerome Franck? The boy who had kept his secret last year?

Reaching out, he shook the boy's shoulder lightly. Jerome sat up blearily. Harry was quick to remove his hand. The second year looked around. Spotting Harry, he rubbed his eyes and smiled widely, innocently. "How was your summer, Harry?" he asked.

Harry blinked, looking away from the eager face with a shrug. Jerome cast his pure, hazel eyes down. That hadn't been the best question to ask, especially seeing how Harry had spent the majority of his summer in St. Mungo's after losing his only family and house while defeating Voldemort.

"My summer was okay," he began, distracting the older teen from his dangerously dark thoughts. "Mother was furious at Father for getting caught, though." He gave a nonchalant shrug. Harry's eyes darkened, his face paling slightly. He nodded his head towards the dormitories. Jerome nodded.

"Yeah, we should get to bed." The second year walked off to his dorm, giving a jovial wave goodnight. Tears welled up in Harry's eyes, but he brushed them away angrily. He'd had enough crying for one night, thank you very much. Quickly, he walked down a little hall and entered his room silently.