I was sitting comfortably on a lush carpet. I was staring around a dark room, barely visible. A form slowly emerged from the shadows.
He had dark curly locks. He had an unexplainable expression on his face, almost evil. A smirk was growing as he stalked towards me.
Behind him walked the robed man I'd seen so many times. They both grinned wickedly. I couldn't move from where I was sat. They both stalked around me like vultures a dead animal.
A noise sounded from behind me, a door opening. The robed man backed away into the shadows once more. The curly haired man's grin changed from one of wickedness to one of kindness in a split second.
A red haired woman came into view. She seated herself before me. Then a man with jet black hair behind her. They were both sat facing me, smiling. Just smiling and . . . happy. I got a good look in their faces. Spotted every detail.
The curly haired man smiled kindly with every turn of their heads, but smiled wickedly at me. I wanted to scream, I wanted to warn them.
The robed man reemerged from the shadows, nodding to the curly haired man. He pulled a knife from the air and stalked forward to his friend's unsuspecting faces. He plunged the knife deep into the women's back. She gasped deeply. The jet black haired man unfortunately kept smiling at me, he didn't seem to notice the blood spilling from her. Not until the same happened to him. The knife plunging into his chest.
The woman collapsed limply to the floor and the man followed her soon after. The attacker continued forwards toward me. The knife was dug deeply into my stomach. I peered down to see the blood spurting from my own body.
I looked up to see him laughing with the robed man, a dead body beneath him. The rat-like man.
I cried out as I came into consciousness. I looked around to see I was in the living room. Dad appeared to have been reading the prophet, but was peering at me concerned.
I gasped for air as the tears bled from my eyes. I looked around tensely as the salty water blurred my vision.
I felt warm arms embracing me. Keeping me safe from the nightmares that plagued my sleep. I sighed shakily as I calmed. A hand brushing through my hair. But I couldn't stop the images flashing to the forefront of my mind, every time I closed my eyes.
"What happened?" I didn't want to explain. He'd feel guilty, guilty for telling me. I shook my head. "I know it's hard to share, but I shared what I didn't want to with you."
"It wasn't the same. I mean I saw them die, d-die again, but not the same way. They were sitting with me. They were so happy. I tried to warn them. Sirius Black and a man in a black robe stood behind them. The robed one whispered to him, instructing him. He pulled out a k-knife . . . he pulled it out . . . and stuck it in her back and then his back. T-then . . . he came over to me and pushed it through my stomach. It stung, but almost didn't even hurt. I watched as they bled and fell to the floor, then I watched myself do the same."
He held my head close to his chest. I listened to his heart. Breathing when he did.
"I shouldn't have told you. It's my fault." I sputtered. "No, no. I asked and that means it's my fault. I begged you to tell me." I felt him nodding against my head.
"Why do you think you saw that? What was the reasoning?" I thought deeply.
"I don't know. I guess I blamed him after what you told me. That he was the real face of their killer." He nodded again, "Why don't we go make a potion."
"What potion?" He coughed a bit, "Um, I can't tell you. It is a very . . . secret potion. But you can help me make it." I pulled away and smiled.
We left the living room and strode to the lab. We worked on the mysterious potion again till a loud knocking came from the hall door. It was now four in the morning. Dad stood from his stool and went to open the door. There, a very startled Susan stood with a boy beside her.
"Mr. Lewis, Ms. Capper, what are you doing here, again?" He asked. The two teens looked very nervous.
"Sir, Reggie Burton has been given something. We don't know what it is, but he has been acting so odd. I believe it could be a love potion, he thinks every girl that walks by him is Mary Anne Walker. We've boarded her up in her dorm, but he's acting very inappropriately. I've got Thomas Childers containing him."
"Do you have any idea who could have slipped him something Ms. Capper?" She shook her head.
"Sir, I believe I know what happened. I was with Reggie, see. He was eating these jam filled chocolates from a girl. I believe the note said Macilyn Bulstrode. But after he finished eating one Mary Anne walked by, started talking to him. He looked in her eyes and just jumped 'er. The poor lass was terrified. I pulled him off 'er. Orla Adams was near and pulled her up to the dorms. I yelled for her to get Susan. Thomas helped me hold him down. Every girl that walked by he would scream Mary Anne's name. It was terrifying. But Thomas is holding him down in our dorm now." He nodded thinking.
"Anne, you know where the cure is, grab it. Take Ms. Capper with you. I'll go with you Mr. Lewis, take me to Mr. Burton and I'll see if we can give him some calming drought." Dad swept out of the room with Lewis. Susan stood waiting for me to do something.
I jumped into action, I grasped Susan's hand. I pulled her with me into our quarters. She looked around curiously. I dropped her hand quickly and ran to a shelf, looking through the vials I now knew by heart. I picked up a solid black tube. It still had the liquid in it. I picked it up off the shelf and ran back to grab Susan's hand and pulled her out of our quarters.
"I never imagined Professor Snape's living quarters to be so . . . normal." I chuckled and smiled at her. I continued to drag her on down the corridor. We reached the spot of wall that was the entrance. She muttered the password and we climbed in. I heard hollering coming from the boy's stairs. I looked to Susan questioningly and she nodded. We trailed up the stairs until we came to the door the noise crept from. I opened it cautiously to see two boys trying to hold down another, while dad tried to get the boy to swallow the calming potion. The boy spit it out as soon as it went in. Then he noticed Susan and I.
"Mary Anne! Mary Anne!" He seemed to grow his strength and pushed both boys off him with ease. He barreled straight towards me.
Susan POV
We walked in to see the horrifying sight of Reggie being restrained by his friends. Anne looked terrified. I didn't blame her.
Reggie spit out whatever Snape gave him and looked directly at us. He got the gleam in his eyes. I didn't understand, almost love, but not quite. His eyes got angry, he easily pushed Thomas and Leopold off him. He took off straight for Anne. He pulled her into his arms tightly and ran for the door.
Snape seemed at a loss for words. He didn't move a muscle, just a horrified look on his face as he seemed to realize what had happened.
Snape started looking around wildly and the boys looked like they didn't know what happened.
"Ms. Capper, please go back to my quarters. Wait in the living room area. You may sleep on the couch, read a book, complete work. Wait for my son to wake. Tell him Anne and I will hopefully be back soon. Take him to breakfast and there he will go with Professor McGonagall. You may go to your dorm to get your things and change into your robes. Tell Mary Anne Walker to stay in her dorm until I retrieve her, meaning she will miss her classes today if I do not tell her otherwise. Mr. Lewis you will go inform Madam Pomfrey there might be future residents in her care. Mr. Childers go to Professor Dumbledore's office and inform him of what has happened."
He swept out of the dorm room and the three of us just stared at each other.
"Someone tell me what the bloody hell just happened. Bit odd, innit? Was that little girl with you his daughter?" I nodded my head tentatively. I was nervous. I was nervous because Snape looked nervous. He told us once in a lecture. Love potions can be considered the most powerful and dangerous potions in the world. I looked up to Leopold Lewis who was questioning me. "Go on now. Go do your jobs. We don't want to get into any trouble for not doing what was asked of us. Go along now."
That seemed to knock some sense into them both. They jumped up and ran from the dorm. I followed and walked up to the girl's dorms. I walked into the fifth year dorms. Orla sat with a terrified Mary Anne in her arms. She wasn't crying, just shocked.
I patted her knee comfortingly. Orla shook her head at me. "Mary Anne, you need to stay in your room until Snape comes to tell you it's alright. Reggie got . . . out of control. He took someone. He thinks it's you. But Snape said to not leave until he tells you it is alright. Do you understand?" She didn't seem to register anything I said. "Orla?" Orla nodded her head and continued brushing her fingers through Mary Anne's hair.
I nodded once more and went to my dorm to change into my uniform. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail. I grabbed my school bag and a book. When I was finished I ran from my room. I ran down the hall back to Snape's office. The door was unlocked and from there I went to the quarters. I sat on the couch and waited for Harry.
Four & a Half Hours Later-
I was sat on the leather sofa reading my favorite book. My eyes kept glancing to the one corridor. Then, I saw the small little boy peek out of the shadows.
"Hello, Harry. Good morning. Did you sleep well?" He looked at me curiously, quite obviously nervous. "Yes, what are you doing here? Where's Anne? Where's my dad?" I smiled at him sadly.
"Well, Professor Snape and Anne are helping a student right now. He got fed something that messed with his head. Professor Snape asked me to get you ready for the day and take you to breakfast." Harry nodded. He told me he'd be right back.
When Harry did come back he had on jeans and a gray t-shirt. He had a small packet in his hand and a quill. "Come along now. Do you want to eat breakfast with the teachers or with me?" He seemed to think this over. "I'll sit with you if that's alright Susan. But are Noah and Thomas going to be there?" I smiled at him, "I'm not sure. They might. Thomas had a tough night. The student that got into a tad of trouble is his friend." Harry nodded. I motioned for him to follow me and we left the quarters.
I saw Noah sitting at the table whispering with Ella and Daphne. Macilyn was absent, as was Thomas. I looked to the teacher table to see Anne, Snape, Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, Lupin, and McGonagall all gone. This must be quite serious.
When we sat at the table Harry obviously started eating his breakfast. Ella, Daphne, and Noah looked at me questioningly, but I shook my head and motioned towards Harry. They seemed to understand, but every few minutes their eyes flickered to me.
A few moments later, a timid little Hufflepuff trotted up to me holding a parchment. I nodded a quick thanks to her and she scurried away.
Ms. Capper,
The situation is difficult at the moment. Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and I have all canceled our classes. If you would allow Harry to tag along with you it would be much appreciated. If you can not, Ms. Olga or Ms. Panker are both acceptable as well. Thank you for your assistance.
Professor S. Snape
I frowned down at the paper. I wonder what happened to poor Anne, what happened to the little girl that was like the sister I always wanted.
I looked down at Harry, who was trying to sneak a glance of the paper. "Well, Harry, it's your lucky day. You get to be a seventh year student for the day. You get to tag along with me." Harry smiled brightly, but then frowned. "Why? Has something happened to Anne? I want to see her."
I didn't know what else to do, but lie. "Anne is fine Harry, I promise. She is with your father. I told you, they are helping a student." Harry nodded happily. I felt awfully guilty for lying to him. I didn't know if Anne was alright. I didn't know anything.
Anne POV
I cried quietly watching the monster in front of me. I felt the blood trail down my forehead. I cried . . .