Chapter 2! Read, review, and, most importantly, enjoy:)

The common room was dry, much to my surprise. No matter how many times I come here, I always imagine the dungeons as a dark, damp hell holes. It was a habit.

Rae strolled beside me as we walked towards our rooms. As I laid my suitcase upon my bed, I noticed Rae giving me a look.

"Yes?"

"You should really tie up your hair. It gets in the way," she noted. I shrugged.

"No hair band."

"Don't worry; I have plenty."

The walk to the Great Hall was agonizing. Strands from loose bun that Rae did for me was rubbing against the nape of my neck, tickling it every time I walked. But that was beside the point. The stares just made it worse. Everyone was gawking at me. Like I was some kind of freak. Like I didn't belong here. Why was it so cold?

Suddenly, I felt something grip my hand. Looking up, I saw Rae's reassuring face. I swallowed and brought myself to smile. Rae returned the favor just as we reached the Great Hall.

The first years filed in and were sorted. Dumbledore got up and a speech was read. Food appeared before us and dinner began. I poked at the roast beef Rae threw on my plate. The hunk of meat was extremely rare, almost dripping with blood. It was tempting, but the craving was not there. I didn't feel like eating. I just wanted to leave.

Sighing, I excused myself and walked towards the wooden entrance of the Great Hall. I heard Rae calling me, asking some question that was drowned out by the incessant chatter. I needed to clear my head.

I avoided the dormitories and lingered near the courtyard. I sat my tired body down on a stone bench and stared at the moon. The full moon seems so steady, so secure, so reassured.

"Lucky you," I whispered at the stark white planet.

Sighing once more, I pulled off the hair band and shoved it into my pocket. That stupid thing was not giving me what I needed: comfort. But nothing gave me comfort. No one could give me comfort.

How long has it been? It always seems like it was just yesterday. The blood was everywhere, its path slowly expanding on white tile. I remember a woman laughing and…mum. She was just lying there. Stiff. Shakes wouldn't wake mummy up. I tried harder until I flipped mummy over. That face. Eyes open in terror and pain. I stared stupidly at her, waiting for something to happen.

I never understood why this could have happened. Mummy was a good person. She never did anything wrong. She's never wrong. She can't be wrong.

Her. That woman. She still haunts me, with her hurtful words and…that laugh. That fucking cackling that still echoes in my dreams. Scratching at every nerve in my body…..

"Are you alright?"

I tossed my head in the direction of the noise. Standing before was a boy about my age, with disheveled brown hair. His worried eyes were framed by a pair of circular frames. He repeated his question, now in a softer tone. I brushed the hair out of my eyes and pulled the corners of my lips into a smile.

"I'm fine. Nothing's wrong."

"I didn't ask you if something were wrong. I asked you if you were alright," he asked, his voice strongly implying concern.

Before I could answer, the topic of my thoughts swirled into my head. Big, thick drops of red on snow white tiles.

"I knew you weren't alright."

He handed me a light blue hanky. I stared at it numbly, feeling the tears slowly trail down my face. When he noticed I wasn't taking it from him, he brought it to my face and wiped the tears for me. He wiped the streams gently. I felt his soft hand tucked under my chin. I blushed slightly. This was way too embarrassing for me. I felt so vulnerable under this boy's gaze, to be the center of his attention.

"There," he murmured, finished with the task at hand. I turned away from him, too stuck in stupid mode to able to do anything else.

"Do you want to talk about anything? If not, it's alright."

"Just another one of those days," I mumbled. Wow, aren't we feeling articulate? Giving myself a mental facepalm, I swiveled to face him again.

"I see," he mused. Giving me a cheeky smile, I heard him laugh,

"Let's not have it happen again."

After a while, he walked me to the entrance of the Slytherin dorms.

"It was nice to finally meet you," I laughed, "Rumors never do justice."

A curious smile spread across his face.

"What have you heard about me?"

"The usual. You know, 'the-boy-who-lived', the encounter with he-who-must-not-be-must-not-be-named. That sort of thing. Why?"

"No reason."

I caught an odd edge in Harry's voice. Whatever; it must have been my imagination….