Here's chapter 2. A lot of the OOC behavior is intentional, but i'd still like to hear your opinion on it or any other comments you have are appreciated. I still own a guinea pig.

Also, someone noticed my reference to Standing on the Rooftop by Rise Against. Love that song and band!

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Stars: Gaseous spheres consisting primarily of hydrogen and helium, there being an equilibrium between the compressional force of gravity and the outward pressure of radiation resulting from internal thermonuclear fusion reactions. To be perfectly honest, Harry had no clue what the hell any of that meant and he really didn't care. Over analyzing something natural and beautiful with scientific reason just wasn't his thing, he'd much rather just enjoy the sight. Stars made him feel insignificant yet so alive at the same time. Their light could never be put out and the thought made him feel a little less alone. Hence, the reason he was lying on one of the castles many rooftops looking up at them, rather than tiptoeing along the edge as he usually would.

Plus, it had been a really good day. He actually had some human interaction in the form of a conversation with Ginny. Well, it was more like her pouring her heart out while listened with open arms, but Harry wasn't getting into technicalities. Apparently, Ginny was in a relationship with another girl and didn't know how to tell her family or friends. It didn't help that the girl she was dating wanted to stay in the closet to avoid word getting back to her parents, who might seriously consider disowning her. Ginny hated feeling as though she was walking on eggshell's every time the topic of her getting a boyfriend came up or when someone made a gay joke. All in all, she was a crying, stuttering wreck and seemed to think that clinging helplessly to Harry like a baby Koala Bear would make all of her problems go away.

Harry was also exited about Lupin visiting tomorrow afternoon. The last they had seen of each other had been at a school wide celebration for the death of Voldemort. Before Harry had realized that his life was now void of purpose. There was singing, dancing, under aged drinking, and way to much fun and love going around for them to actually catch up on anything.

Lupin had written to Harry ahead of time, saying he had good news about Sirius that was far too important to tell him about through a letter. Harry contemplated toying with fate again tonight, but decided he was far too happy to die just then. Not that dying happy was a bad thing, but tonight he just wanted to look at the stars. He wondered what it would be like to be infinite like a star. To never be born and never die and never have a purpose because he didn't need one. All stars wanted to do was live, just like Harry. But he couldn't just live. He was too human.

All this thinking was killing Harry's mood and making him angry with himself. It had been such a good day and he was battering it with his constant thinking. He sat up and crossed his legs, trying to think of where else he could search for a cure for insomnia. He'd read most of the books in the library, but they held no information of sleeping potions or spells. Potions! That was it! The potions classroom had its own stock of potions books that couldn't be found in the library. And what better time to look for insomnia potion than when the rest of England was asleep?

Harry pushed himself off the ground and briskly walked down several hallways and flights of stairs to the dungeons entrance. This was where things were going to get interesting. Harry didn't have a lamp and never brought his wand with him during his nightly walks for fear of using it on himself and the dungeons were far darker then the rest of the castle. Taking a deep breath, he pressed his back to the wall and slowly walked down the staircase and through the hallway, keeping his right arm out in front of him to make sure he didn't run into anything. After what seemed like an hour, Harry felt his fingertips brush across the cold dungeon door. He felt around for the knob and entered the room as silently as possible.

By now, his eyes had adjusted to the near absence of light and he could see the blurry outline of the various objects in the room. Now if only the bookcase had been somewhere other then the exact opposite of the room. He sighed and walked over to look through the various textbook glossaries in search of the potion he needed. He found plenty of quick fixes for sleepwalking and dreams, but none on insomnia. "So, what possibly illegal excuse for a potion are you attempting to make this time?"

Harry spun around, dropping the books and slamming his back against the bookcase. He cringed and slid down to the floor as white-hot pain shot up his back. An all to familiar figure was shining a bright and painful light in his eyes. "If you're going to steal from me, Potter, do it correctly and write up a list of what you need ahead of time. I'll be less likely to catch you that way." Professor Snape flicked his want, instantly lighting all of the lamps in the room, then turned to rummage through one of his many shelves of potions ingredients.

Harry stood only to painfully hit his head on a heavy book sticking half way out of the shelf. He fell to the ground once more, covering his head as another three books fell down on him. He looked up to see a very irritated Snape standing in front of him, arms crossed and foot tapping with impatience. "Well? Are you going to tell me what you were stealing or am I going to have to force it out of you?"

"I-I wasn't stealing anything Professor, I was just looking for a book." Harry slowly attempted to stand again, not daring to look at the man in front of him. He probably shouldn't have been so close to the bookcase after what happened last time, but he didn't have much choice considering Snape was standing less then two feet in front of him. "I'll just clean this up and be on my way if that's allright." Even when he was standing upright the professor seemed to tower over Harry.

"You honestly think I'm going to let you leave without severe punishment?" Harry continued to stare at the ground despite the question. Professor Snape sighed and shook his head then turned his heel and walked off. "Ten points from Gryphendor. Now, get out of my sight."

Harry bent down and quickly returned all of the books to their original places. He turned to see Snape standing by his worktable, taking notes on his latest experiment. Harry found this whole situation very odd. Not that Snape was working on a potion, but that he wasn't yelling at Harry or comparing him to his father. He cautiously walked closer and leaned against a pillar roughly ten feet from the older man and watched as he stirred the potion with one hand and scribbled down notes with the other for a good twenty minutes. Snape was either unaware of his presence or simply choosing to ignore him. "Potter, why are you still here?" The professor's eyes never left the potion, but Harry still felt as though he was being stared at. "I was just wondering Professor, why are you awake?"

"That is none of your concern." Snape turned to face Harry, leaning against the table and crossing his arms over his chest. If looks could kill, Harry would be dead right now. His breath caught in his throat as dark orbs narrowed dangerously at him. It seemed as though Snape was just daring Harry to ask another question or walk closer. He wanted nothing more then to look away from that cold, hard stare but found that he couldn't until he had the answer to the question that had been plaguing him and that he was sure had also been plaguing Snape. "What are you going to do now? With your life?"

Snape's eyes widened and he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What kind of question is that? I'm a professor and I intend to stay one."

"That's not what I meant." Harry stared at the wiggling toes on his bare feet. Why did he always wiggle his toes or play with his feet when he was nervous. "He's dead now. Voldemort, he's dead so you don't have to be a double agent anymore. You can live your life the way you never could before, find what your in search of. So what are you going to do?" Harry looked up to see Snape was done being confused and had gone back to being angry. "Get out of here Potter."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I said get out!" Harry could've sworn he saw fire burning in the black eyes of the older man. It was time to go, for now at least. Harry pushed himself off the pillar and scurried out of the classroom with his head hung. He stopped at the end of the hallway and looked back to see Snape in the same spot, shaking his head and muttering to himself.

Harry leaned against the wall and rubbed his eye. This was unexpected. All of the sudden, he was actually tired enough to fall asleep. 'Might as well take advantage of it,' he thought, especially considering he had such a big day ahead of him. Harry leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. There was no point in trying to make himself comfortable considering where he was. He pulled his knees up against his chest and looked down at his toes, giving them one last wiggle before falling into a dreamless sleep.