Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any of J.K. Rowling's characters, places, items, ect.
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Chapter 29 – Headaches
Harry awoke with a headache on Monday, as well as having his scar prickle uncomfortably. He was a bit irritable as he dressed, and immediately the rest of the boys saw fit to leave him alone. He stalked down the stairs muttering under his breath about headaches and scars, and when Silver looked up at him, she seemed to be amused.
"Headache, Harry?" she asked sweetly.
He glared at her as he sat down on the couch. She wasn't doing much to help him stay in his bad mood. She had her hair in very natural-looking curls today, a bit like Hermione's, and some sparkly stuff on her lips, and to say the least, she looked very pretty.
She giggled. "Fine, if you're going to give up your good-morning kiss because you have want to have a temper tantrum, I'm not going to stop you," she said as she turned back to Hermione to continue their previous conversation.
Harry thought about it only a second before reaching out and pulling her towards him. There were a few stifled laughs around the room from those watching. She turned to him with a smile.
"I thought so," she informed him as she kissed him sweetly.
His headache didn't go away, but it lessened considerably. She smelled so fresh and sweet, and whatever was on her lips tasted good. His scar, however, began to feel as if it were heating up. They parted, and he rubbed a hand over it.
"Stupid, good-for-nothing scar," he muttered under his breath.
"It hurts?" Silver asked concernedly, "Did you have any dreams last night?"
"Not that I can remember," he replied as it continued to heat uncomfortably, "It feels like it's getting hot."
Silver put a cool hand on his forehead and frowned. She traced his scar gently with her finger, causing a tingling sensation, and then looked him in the eye.
"It feels perfectly cool to me," she said.
He rubbed it again. "Well, it's really hot, now," he said as it began to burn.
She looked at him a moment as if considering what to do. He began to rub his scar furiously as it continued to heat up to a very uncomfortable level. She took his hand away and took his face in her hands. She placed a gentle kiss on top of his scar, and immediately he felt relief spreading through his entire body. His scar went down to a minor heat level, and his headache lessened considerably. She pulled away and looked at him questioningly.
"It worked," he said in amazement, "How'd you do that?"
She smiled. "Go see Dumbledore," she replied.
"I'll see him tonight in Occ-"he began, but she put a finger to his lips.
"Go...see...Dumbledore," she repeated slowly.
"Alright," he agreed reluctantly.
She smiled. He leaned back, thinking he would just sit and watch her for a moment, but his scar began to heat up again right away.
"Ah!" he exclaimed in frustration, clapping his hand to it, "Can't the stupid thing give me a rest?"
Silver gave him a sympathetic smile and stood up with him. She gave him a hug and another kiss on his scar, which relieved it a bit, and he playfully planted a kiss on her lips before turning to go. He had barely taken a step before he heard a squeal and was forced to jump backwards as something silver launched itself up at him.
"Charisma!" Silver exclaimed.
Immediately Charisma stopped trying to attack him and sat down docilely at his feet.
"Uh, morning," he told it.
Charisma squeaked happily and rubbed against his leg, leaving him partially amused as he left the portrait hole. He didn't really want to go see Dumbledore about his scar, but he knew Silver wanted him to, so he did. Plus, it was beginning to heat up again. By the time he reached the gargoyle, it was broiling. Rubbing it furiously, he exclaimed, "Fizzing Wizbee!" at the gargoyle, who didn't move. Harry groaned and continued to rub his scar as fast as he could.
"Listen up!" he yelled at the gargoyle, "My scar is about to light on fire and I need to talk to Dumbledore! I highly suggest that you move your big stone butt out of the way!"
The gargoyle stayed still, which raised both his temper and the temperature of his scar. He gave a yelp of pain as it continued to heat to what he was sure were unnatural levels.
"Cauldron cakes! Pumpkin juice! Acid Pops!" he yelled, to no avail.
"IF YOU DON'T OPEN UP MY HEAD IS GOING TO LIGHT ON FIRE!" he bellowed.
The gargoyle suddenly sprung open. Harry gave it a kick for good measure as he ran up the stairs and burst into Dumbledore's office. Professor McGonagall and Snape were there, and looked surprised at the sudden interruption.
"Scar!" Harry yelled, pointing to his scar, which he was now hitting in an attempt to cool back down. "Hot!"
He did a sort of dance in place as he beat himself over the head in vain attempts to cool it down. Professor Dumbledore walked to the back of his room and came back with a big bowl of water. Harry plunged his head into it before Dumbledore could even set it down anywhere. It was icy cold, but it seemed to have a bit of an effect on his burning head. Slowly the scar cooled down, and when Harry could hold his breath no longer, he withdrew his head. He groaned as he ran a hand over his face. Except for his lukewarm scar, his whole face was numb from the icy cold water, and his headache seemed to have gotten worse. Dumbledore, who had been holding the bowl for Harry the entire time, set it down on the desk without comment and conjured up another chair for Harry, who sat gratefully, water dripping down his face.
"That bloody hurt," he said finally.
"Language, Harry," Dumbledore reminded him politely.
"Sorry," he apologized.
"So, Harry, care to describe your morning for me?" Dumbledore asked, as if Harry was going to tell him a particularly cheerful children's story.
"Why not?" Harry replied, a bit sarcastically. "Well, I woke up with a headache, and my scar kind of...prickled. So I went downstairs and sat down, and it started to warm up. It got really hot, so Silver..."
He paused, remembering that Snape was in the room. He gave him a half apologetic, half smug glance as he continued.
"...kissed it for me, and that kind of cooled it down a little. Then, when I came to see you, it started heating up again really bad, and well...now it's fine," he finished.
He glanced at the bowl of water. "I didn't think that cold water would help," he said, feeling a bit dumb, "Sorry."
"Oh, no apologies, Harry, that's not regular water," Dumbledore replied brightly, "I doubt regular water would have helped for long."
"Oh," Harry replied, staring at the bowl once more and wondering if it was going to cause weird side effects, "So what is it?"
"It's a heat relief potion," Snape supplied.
"So...you knew this was going to happen to me?" Harry gathered, looking from Snape to Dumbledore.
"No, actually," Dumbledore replied, "But I've always had a supply handy, for we've had a Quidditch player or two become overheated, and this potion seemed to work particularly well."
"Oh," Harry answered again, looking down at the potion, "It's not going to do anything weird to my face, is it?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "No, no, Harry, it won't do anything that regular water wouldn't do," he assured him.
Harry felt partially relieved. "So, why did my scar heat up like that?" he asked.
"Well, Harry, truthfully, I cannot be sure, but I suspect Voldemort did that accidentally through having a spell or potion backfire on him," Dumbledore replied, "Which caused him to become extremely hot, which transferred the feeling on to your scar."
"It was a potion," Snape supplied, "I brewed it for him."
"Very well," Dumbledore said agreeably.
Harry looked at Snape in shock. "You messed up a potion for Voldemort – on purpose?" he asked.
"Nothing gets past you, does it, Potter?" he sneered in reply.
"Now, now, Severus," Dumbledore said lightly.
"So now I can feel whatever temperatures Voldemort feels?" Harry asked miserably.
"No, no, only if it's in the extreme," Dumbledore assured him, "And I assume you were also feeling his anger at having something backfire on him."
Harry sighed. "Great," he said, "Next time Voldemort gets caught in a blizzard, I'm going to start freezing my butt off."
This got a chuckle out of both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, who had previously been silent. Harry then remembered the previous day at the Platform, and proceeded to tell Dumbledore what had happened.
"Lestrange?" Professor McGonagall said in shock, "Surely not! She wouldn't go where there are so many people – she's a wanted Death Eater!"
"And a stupid one, at that," Harry added.
"Bella was always a bit overconfident," Dumbledore mused, "But I suppose nobody would really recognize her, would they?"
"I recognized her," Harry pointed out.
"Yes, that you did," Dumbledore agreed, "But you could not have taken her on yourself."
Harry began to get mad.
"Oh, so you're saying that the one person who can defeat Voldemort can't even handle one of his little Death Eaters?" he asked, annoyance lacing his voice.
"I am," Dumbledore agreed, "Because you are not ready, Harry, for Voldemort or Lestrange."
"What is the boy saying, Albus?" Professor McGonagall interrupted, "The only person who can defeat You-Know-Who?"
"Is Harry," Dumbledore finished, "But that information is up to him to disclose."
Professor McGonagall and Snape both turned their eyes on him.
"No," he said flatly, glaring at Snape.
"Very well, then," Dumbledore said agreeably, "But back to the subject, I do not think you could have taken on Lestrange alone, at the Platform, with no prior preparation and your temper getting the better of you."
"My temper hasn't got a hold of me!" Harry exclaimed, before he realized what he had just said.
Snape smirked at him, and he glared back. Dumbledore chuckled.
"Very well, then," he said, "Do you wish to discuss anything else with me, Harry?"
Harry looked at Dumbledore a long moment, before replying, "Not right now."
Dumbledore nodded. "Very well, I'll see you tonight," he said, "I doubt you will continue to have problems with your scar, but if you do, please let me know."
"Alright," Harry agreed, but he stopped on his way out. "What's the password?" he asked.
"Ah, I've changed it back to lemon drop," Dumbledore said, eyeing a tray of yellow candies fondly on his desk.
Harry nodded and left. He entered the Great Hall, and began to get a lot of weird stares, although he didn't know why. When he finally arrived at Gryffindor table, his friends were looking at him oddly. He looked at Silver, who looked halfway between a laugh and concern.
"What?" he demanded.
"You're all wet, honey," she informed him bemusedly.
For a moment he was so happy that she called him 'honey' that he hardly took in what she said. Then he realized that his hair was still dripping.
"Oh," he said, "Right. I had to dunk my head in some sort of cold potion."
She smiled at him. "Well, are you feeling better now?" she asked as she tipped some eggs and bacon onto his plate for him.
"Yeah," he said, sinking into a seat and ignoring all the weird looks he was getting.
"Charisma," Silver was saying to something under the table, "Will you please go get a towel?"
Charisma bounded out from under the table and towards Gryffindor tower.
"Are you going to take her to classes with you?" Harry asked in disbelief.
"Of course," Silver said, as if magical creatures were normally allowed in class.
From looking at Ron and Hermione, he could tell they had had this conversation before. Not surprisingly, Silver had won.
"Good thing our first class is Care of Magical Creatures," he answered.
Silver smiled. "Hagrid's going to love her," she declared.
Harry agreed. Charisma soon returned with a towel on her back.
"I don't want that thing touching me after it's been on her back!" Harry protested as Silver began to dry his hair.
"Harry," she said, "Hippogriffs don't like to be insulted – remember that."
"Oh," he said, gazing down at an angry-looking Charisma, "Right. Sorry, Charisma. I didn't mean that I don't like you or anything."
He held out his hand in the offended hippogriff's direction, and after a moment of contemplation, she came over and rubbed against it. Silver smiled as she finished with the towel.
"Well, it's drier than before," she said, "But a tad messier."
Harry laughed, and she joined in, but the moment was ruined by a familiar sneering voice.
"Aw, does Potty need someone to dry his hair for him?"
Silver rolled her eyes and looked pointedly in the other direction.
"What's wrong?" Draco teased, "Don't wanna stick up for wethead over here?"
Silver spun around, fire flashing in her eyes. Her hair landed in every which direction, making her look beautiful and wild.
"Go away, Malfoy," she spat, "You must have better things to do than to insult my boyfriend."
"Actually," he began, but the smile suddenly faded from his face. "Your what?"
"Boy. Friend. Boyfriend." Silver replied, tossing her head.
Parvati and Lavender began squealing and giggling a few seats down, and Dean and Seamus looked surprised. Neville smiled as if he had known all along. And to Harry's surprise, Draco laughed. He laughed too hard to say anything for a few seconds, but then recovered himself.
"Potter wouldn't know what to do with a girlfriend," Draco said, eyeing Harry with amusement.
"And I suppose you would?" Silver asked.
Draco stepped closer to her, smirking. "I can show you anytime," he said in a low voice.
Harry opened his mouth to verbally assault Draco and everything about him, from his friends to his family, but Silver beat him to it.
"Unfortunately for you, I'm not interested," she said smoothly.
"Not yet," Draco challenged.
"Not ever," Silver answered.
Draco gave her a sickening smile. "I like a challenge," he informed her, wiggling his eyebrows at her.
"Then try and be decent for a change. Should be challenge enough, for you," Silver answered, turning back to her breakfast.
He frowned for a moment, but then recovered himself. "I don't know why I'm wasting my time on a filthy little half-blood like you," he said, "You should consider yourself lucky. Your father would have been proud of you for choosing me."
Silver froze. Draco had said the one thing he shouldn't have. She whirled around, stood up, and slapped him across the face in one fluid movement. The sound reverberated across the room, and the Great Hall grew suddenly silent.
"Shove off, Malfoy," Silver spat, "And don't you ever talk to me about my father again!"
Charisma growled at Silver's feet more threateningly than Harry had ever heard.
Draco looked momentarily stunned. For a moment he stood there looking at Silver, and in the blink of an eye Charisma leapt out from under the table and began to slash at him with her talons. Draco yelped and began to back up. Charisma growled and snapped at him until he turned to walk away. The Great Hall exploded.
"Did you see that?"
"She told him!"
"That was a hard slap!"
"What is that weird little thing?"
Silver sat down, shaking with anger. Harry reached out and drew her to him.
"What a...a..." she muttered something inappropriate into the front of Harry's robes, making him chuckle.
"You did good," he told her, "He's had that coming for a long time, now."
"I hate him," she said passionately, "He has no right to...to..."
"I know," Harry assured her, "I know."
She put her arms around him and held him tightly, her face against his, and he was not quite sure why.
"Your hair is still wet," she told him, her voice slightly muffled by the fact that she was speaking against his neck.
"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly.
She sat all the way down, and her head only came up to his chest. Then she pulled away, and looked at him for a moment before returning to her breakfast. Harry was drawn to her hair once more. It looked particularly beautiful today for some reason.
"What did you do to your hair?" he asked curiously.
She and Hermione shot him patronizing looks, and Ron snickered, although he could not figure out why for a few seconds.
"No! I didn't mean it like that! I like it!" he exclaimed.
Ron guffawed quietly, and Harry glared at him.
Silver smiled. "I know, honey," she said, "It's just not the best way to ask."
Harry grinned at her mention of him as 'honey' once more.
"Can I try again?" he asked.
"Of course," she said graciously.
Harry cleared his throat and straightened up, aware that most of Gryffindor table had been watching this exchange.
"Why, darling!" he exclaimed, widening his eyes and picking up a lock of her hair, "Your hair looks so lovely this morning!"
Half the table burst into stifled laughter as they waited for Silver's response.
"Why thank you, sweetie," she replied dutifully, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.
The table burst into applause and laughter, and Harry grinned sheepishly.
The bell rang, and they started off to Care of Magical Creatures. On the way, people bombarded Silver with questions about Charisma. Silver was careful not to say that Snape had gotten the animal for her, but merely said it was a Christmas present from somebody she knew well. Charisma loved the attention, and put on quite a show for everyone as she pranced about by Silver's feet. Parvati and Lavender thought she was just the 'cutest little thing', and insisted on walking ridiculously close to them the entire way. Hagrid was delighted at Silver's choice of a pet. When he reached down to pet Charisma and the hippogriff bit him firmly in the finger, drawing an alarming amount of blood for such a small bite, Hagrid chuckled and said, "That one's a keeper!"
In History of Magic, Professor Binns was a bit skeptical of Charisma, but after Silver's promise that she was well-trained and very well-mannered, he allowed the animal to sit underneath Silver's desk so long as she didn't attract any attention. Charisma seemed to realize that her staying depended on her manners, so she used the classroom to take a nap, like many of the other students.
Divination was a different story. Silver had to practically get down on her knees and beg that Charisma be allowed to stay, and in the end she threatened to leave the class if Charisma couldn't come with her. Of course, Charisma ended up sitting with Silver, Harry, and Ron during class. Harry and Ron made a great show of trying to read Charisma's future, which Professor Trelawny wholeheartedly approved of, since they were so 'excited of the use of the Inner Eye'.
Lunch was spent warding off everyone who wanted to know if Silver was really going to attempt to bring Charisma in Potions or not.
"Of course I am, now stop asking me so I can eat," was Silver's response.
When they finally headed to Potions, Silver seemed a bit nervous.
"Have you asked Snape if you can bring her in?" Ron asked.
"Well, no," Silver said, playing with the edge of her robes anxiously, "But he just has to let me."
Ron, Harry, and Hermione exchanged glances. They all knew that Snape was not likely to allow the animal in his class, even if he had bought it for her.
They entered the classroom hesitantly. Snape looked up at their arrival, and his eyes settled on Charisma.
"Miss Riddle, may I ask what is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his eyes resting on Charisma.
"Well, Professor Snape," Silver said meekly, "She was a Christmas present, you see, and she's just a baby, so I'm kind of like her mother, and she can't bear to be separated from me. So – she's been sitting in on my classes all day, and she hasn't raised a distraction or done anything bad, I promise!"
"I will not tolerate pets in my classroom," Snape said firmly.
"Please?" Silver begged, "She needs me."
"I will allow her to sit outside the door," Snape replied.
"While it's open?" Silver asked hopefully.
"Closed," Snape said.
"I really don't think that's a good idea," Silver ventured.
"Miss Riddle!" he said cuttingly.
Silver jumped at being addressed so sharply and led Charisma to the door.
"Sit," she told her, "Stay."
Charisma obediently sat down and stared into Silver's eyes, which were beginning to water dangerously. Silver began to close the door, and Charisma became alarmed. She let out a small squeak as the door closed, and then there was silence for a total of three seconds. It then sounded as if a siren was going off outside the classroom. Charisma wailed at the top of her lungs, and seemed to be flinging herself at the door.
"What is this?" Snape demanded above the racket.
"She doesn't like being separated from me!" Silver yelled back, her fingers on the doorknob.
"Open the door!" Snape answered.
Silver flung open the door and Charisma jumped into her arms and silenced at once. Silver turned to Snape, awaiting his verdict anxiously. Snape eyed first Silver, and then Charisma.
"If it makes one noise," he said threateningly, "I never want to see or hear it within ten feet of my classroom again."
Silver nodded solemnly and released a very quiet Charisma under her desk. The class began their work quickly, knowing that Snape would make no time allowances for distractions at the beginning of class. Charisma was very obedient the entire time, not making a single peep, or even moving other than into a laying down position. However, Snape did not seem to approve of the fact that Charisma accompanied Silver when she brought her finished potion up to his desk.
"It can't stay under the desk?" he asked pointedly.
Silver looked down at Charisma and then back up at Snape. "She could if you really wanted her to, but she likes to come with me – she protects me."
Snape simply sighed and held his hand out for her potion. Silver beamed at him as she handed it over, and he glared in return. Harry couldn't help but grin knowing that it must be hard for Snape to keep a straight face.
After class, Harry barely had time to finish his homework before Occlumency – he was ten minutes late, as it was. When he arrived, panting, in Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore seemed amused.
"Please, Harry, take a seat," he offered cordially.
Harry sat down and regained his breath. After that, Dumbledore put him through one of the most rigorous sessions he had ever been through. If he had thought that he would ever get used to seeing the memory of Sirius' death, he was wrong. He could block it fairly well, but it drained him emotionally, and, in turn, physically. He ended up sitting in the fluffy armchair once more, gasping for breath and trying to hold back the horrible lump in his throat. The fact that everything in the room was annoyingly blurry and he had regained his headache from that morning didn't help much.
"You are doing very well, Harry," Dumbledore assured him, "You face it with courage and skill every time, and you will soon master it."
"Master it?" Harry croaked, "I'm nowhere close to mastering it. I can hardly breathe."
"Ah, but Harry, the fact is, you can. You haven't passed out or screamed in a long time now," Dumbledore reminded him, "You are only getting better."
"I hate seeing it," Harry gasped, "I don't want to see it."
"I know, Harry," Dumbledore said kindly, "and I am very, very proud of you for not running away. You are facing this with a courage that many grown men do not have."
Dumbledore's words made Harry feel only slightly better.
"I believe I will see if Snape has any more of that lovely purple potion," Dumbledore announced, walking to the fireplace.
Harry hoped he did. He closed his eyes and gasped for breath as Dumbledore conversed with Snape through the fire, but when he opened his eyes it was no easier to either breathe or see.
"They are on their way," Dumbledore announced as he withdrew from the fire, "Apparently young Miss Riddle is having much the same problem as you right now, so Severus has a very handy supply of the potion."
"The same problem as me?" Harry echoed in disbelief, "It took me a year to get this far, and now she's at the same level? She just started!"
"Well, Harry, there are a few things you must take into account," Dumbledore said, "Firstly, you started out with Professor Snape as your Occlumency mentor. You learned close to nothing about blocking the attacks during that entire time. Secondly, Miss Riddle is an extremely strong- willed individual. I have never seen anything close to determination like hers, when she sets her mind to something, and she has set her mind to helping you."
"I'm strong-willed," Harry protested.
Dumbledore chuckled. "That you are, Harry, that you are. It has nothing to do with Miss Riddle being better at Occlumency than you, Harry, it has to do with Miss Riddle being more determined than you to master Occlumency."
Harry thought about it for a moment. "Why does she want to learn Occlumency so badly?" he asked finally.
"I would think that would be obvious," Dumbledore replied, eyes twinkling, "She is doing it merely to be of assistance to you."
Harry felt himself smiling, despite the situation. Dumbledore was right. Silver was willing to look back at her past, as horrible as it may be, and overcome it just so that Harry could use her as his practice dummy. If that wasn't love, what was? He heard her voice coming up the stairs and wished that he felt better so that he could sweep her off her feet the moment she entered and kiss her. But at the moment, he couldn't. Snape entered and presented him with the purple potion that he had grown to appreciate greatly, and after drinking it he became much more perceptive to what was going on around him, and very thankful that his headache had disappeared.
"So, Miss Riddle, we were just discussing the subject of your Occlumency," Dumbledore announced.
Silver looked surprised, but nodded her head for Dumbledore to continue.
"Would you mind demonstrating for me the level you are at?" Dumbledore asked.
"You mean use Occlumency against you?" Silver asked.
"Yes, please," Dumbledore replied.
"Albus," Snape cut in, "She's just finished with a very hard session."
"I will take that into account," Dumbledore assured him, "But I believe the decision is up to Miss Riddle."
Silver looked up at Snape, her eyes wide. "Do you think I can do it?" she asked.
"You can do anything you set your mind to," Snape answered. Charisma squeaked her agreement, and Silver smiled at the small creature.
That seemed to settle it. Silver nodded to Dumbledore.
The two stood up and walked to the empty space where Harry and Dumbledore had been practicing minutes before. Harry twisted around in his seat to watch, as did Snape.
"On the count of three?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, please," Silver replied.
Dumbledore gave a small bow and began. "One."
Silver straightened and raised her head high, looking right at Dumbledore.
"Two."
She raised her wand slightly in front of her.
"Three. Legilimens!"
Silver staggered backwards a few steps as if hit by some invisible force.
"Mom, no!" she cried, raising her arms in front of her as if to block some invisible attack.
Snape rose quickly, and Charisma bounded a few steps towards her.
Silver raised a trembling arm towards Dumbledore.
"Protego," she whispered. Her wand sparked weakly, and she collapsed.
Harry jumped up as she hit the floor, and rushed over to her. Snape moved her into a sitting position, and her eyes fluttered open. At first, she looked vulnerable, but her eyes suddenly sparked.
"Why did I do that?" she demanded angrily.
"That was actually very good, Miss Riddle," Dumbledore informed her.
She didn't look convinced. "Can we try again?" she asked.
"No," Snape answered.
"Certainly," Dumbledore replied at the same time.
"She's had enough for tonight," Snape snarled at Dumbledore, seeming to completely forget that he was the headmaster.
"Very well, Severus," Dumbledore said.
"No I haven't!" Silver protested, "I can't end like that!"
"You've had enough for tonight," Snape replied, "You can practice with Dumbledore again on Wednesday."
Charisma squealed for attention, and Silver looked at her.
"Not you, too!" she exclaimed, "I want to try again!"
"No," Snape answered, and Charisma seemed to echo him.
Silver scowled and looked at Harry. "I suppose you think I should quit, too?" she asked.
Harry grinned. "I think you should do whatever you want to do, darling," he supplied helpfully, "But if it were completely up to me, I would hold out until Wednesday."
Despite her determination, she smiled. "Alright then," she agreed.
Dumbledore was watching them with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Snape didn't look amused in the least.
"Well, you two may be dismissed for the night," Dumbledore informed them, "Very good job to both of you, and goodnight."
"Goodnight," Silver replied. She hugged Snape and headed for the door with Harry and Charisma close behind her.
Once they got past the gargoyle, she gave a long sigh. Harry put his arm around her, and she leaned into him as they made their way back to Gryffindor tower.
"I am so tired," she murmured, "I just want to get into bed and sleep until next Tuesday."
Harry laughed as they climbed through the portrait hole to an almost empty common room. Ron and Hermione were sitting on one of the couches, smiling at each other, and didn't even notice them.
"And miss the look on Professor McGonagall's face when she sees that you want to take a hippogriff into her classroom? I think not?" he replied as he looked back at her.
Silver laughed, but stopped as she stifled a yawn.
"Night, Harry," she said, hugging him.
"Sweet dreams," he replied.
She kissed him on the cheek and trudged up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. She seemed so tired that Harry wasn't sure if she would make it, so she watched her until she and Charisma were safely in and the door was closed. Then he headed for his own bed, being very tired himself.
He walked in and collapsed onto his bed, too tired to change. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was sound asleep. His last thought before he fell asleep was that he sincerely hoped he was headache-free the next morning.
