I spent the rest of the hours lying in bed, the afternoon passed slowly and the wound did not stop bleeding. Waiting for the rest of my roommates to come back to ask about classes and what Snape would have said about my absence, that damn scoundrel. During the afternoon I was doing light reading of some books that I had on the table, I liked to take a look at them from time to time to remember, some even left the corner of the folded page to know the text of the page that I liked. One of the basic incantations that I loved to read, my mother gave it to me when I entered first year and another two of Muggle poetry. But I don't know why I have that muggle crap. Perhaps it is the last thing left of my sweet and innocent self, some poetry books in a drawer.

I've been crying all afternoon. He has treated me like a farm animal, which is branded red hot among cattle. Poetry is the only thing that consoles me in these difficult moments ... It is what gives me strength.

"He has hurt me hiding in the shadows,

sealing his betrayal with a kiss.

His arms threw me around the neck and down the back

broke my heart in cold blood.

And she joyfully continues on her way,

happy, smiling, undaunted. And because?

Because no blood gushes from her wound.

Because the dead are standing.''

As if the book read my mind, its inscribed words tired my sad and wounded heart. The red of my swollen eyes drew attention and the pain I felt in the wound only gave me more reason to cry. How had he been able to do something so cruel to me?

I thought he did ... somehow he ... but no. Because he had always been the same, people never change, only with time they really show how they are. And I would always be a trusting Gryffindor, weak and submissive. I would never be a Slytherin anymore, no matter how much I wanted to, no matter how hard I tried, they would never accept me.

Lying in bed, I read poetry and my tears shed with agony. At this, one of my companions, Gisselle Williams, entered the room. Yes, of this I remembered her name, almost every day of the first year she told me what I should not do in the room when she was present. Even today she insists on her stupid rules. She was a fucking idiot. She glanced at me as she walked in, her infamous pointy nose looking up at the sky, she brushed past me and threw herself on her bed. She was followed a moment later by Sarah and Vanessa I don't know what else. She knew Sarah's last name was Harris, but she couldn't remember the dyed blonde's last name. I have a lousy memory for last names, I don't know how the teachers manage.

Gisselle was still lying on her bed with a dramatic face and the other two also seemed just as sad... I even think Sarah was crying. I smelled from afar the news they brought me. I stopped paying attention to them and I looked at the marked page that I had read so many times. I didn't care who the victim had been this time, I wanted to drop the matter and focus on my own pain and anger at Snape.

—You'd better not get comfortable Rosenberg, you're going to have to pack soon. —said the fake blonde looking at my bed surreptitiously.

—Shut up Vanessa, this is quite painful already. I still can not believe it...

Sarah continued to cry, while the other girls looked at her grimly. I didn't know who the new victim of the trio was but I had a hunch that it was one of our class. What if something had happened to Isobel? I dropped my book immediately at the thought and sat up to ask them and stay calm.

—Who was it this time? —I asked fearfully in a low voice.

Vanessa looked at me but didn't say anything. She concentrated on comforting Sarah and getting her pajamas out of her drawer. But Sarah was the one who answered my question.

—They found Alice on the pier... —she said without looking at me.

Alice Summers had been the only girl in my class who had been nice to me for once, and I wasn't going to forget that. I immediately worried about what had happened to her. Possibly another smashed punching bag.

—Alice? On the jetty?... Is she okay?

Sarah turned her head to look at me unashamedly and answered through tears. She looked like the saddest girl on earth. Her red, puffy eyes seemed to have been crying for a long time.

—She's dead... they found her dead on the pier. Professor Dumbledore has told us that we will sleep in the great hall tonight. They have closed the castle and in a few days, I think that this Friday we will all be back home.

—Sarah stop crying, with that you don't get anything. —said Vanessa already tired.

—She was my friend, okay? I will cry all I want.

—As you wish, but remember that we have to go up soon Sarah. Professor Snape told us clearly without delay.

—Okay, give me two minutes. —she said, wiping away her tears.

—You also have to go up Rosenberg, no matter how sick you are. —Gisselle told me with the face of a murderous demon.

I couldn't risk going up stairs, so that the others could see what was happening to me and see my mark... I'm not going, I've made up my mind.

—If Snape wants me upstairs he'll have to come get me himself, because I'm not going.

—You can bet anything that he will come for you, Elinor; you should come not only for Snape but to be safe... please come with us. —Sarah told me putting on her pajamas, she seemed worried about me.

—Sorry Sarah, but I'm not going.

I said carefully making it seem that my decision was final, she just nodded calmly but with the suffering marked on her face. There were already three of her friends who had been attacked, and one was dead... Without a doubt, this would leave a hole in her life, and a youthful trauma in all of them.

After a while getting ready they left the room leaving me alone again. Sarah said goodbye to me with a sad ''good night'' and tears in her eyes. This had been too much, Alice didn't deserve such a horrible ending. And less after having put us on notice with this issue. I would avenge her death, I would find the culprits of this... as soon as I could get out of bed. Damn Severus! It was all his fault, if he hadn't done this to me I would have investigated and I would have found more clues and maybe Alice would be alive...

The fault was mine. I should have walked out of there when he told me, but I listened to my stupid horniness and riotous feelings. If it wasn't for me maybe Alice would be alive...

I am an idiot.

She felt sorry for myself in the corner of the bed, listening to depressing music on my muggle mp3 player. My father gave it to me when I turned twelve. But six months later he moved out of our house on the outskirts of London. It was a very hard blow for the three of us. We never knew why dad left and seeing my red mp3 made me remember that fateful day, as gloomy as it was tonight of death and sorrow. ''You can't get out of this alone, Elinor'', I told myself, sad and defeated. I need a little help, that's all. Is it too much to ask for a little help? Alice didn't deserve this. I wish they had caught me… Suddenly an idea arose in my mind, a little dangerous but effective.

—I have to get caught... That's right! I'm brilliant!

Excited with the idea I had just had, I began to think about where the girls in my class had been stalked when they were kidnapped. I think the three of them met near the corridor that leads to the dungeons. Yes, they had been trapped... inside the castle. How weird. Someone from outside doesn't pass like that inside the castle, he kidnaps a student and nobody sees him.

This point of view made me think that in theory the murderers could be in the castle and be any of the students. It was a chilling theory but it is a possibility. More theories... Hm... I was thinking a bit how someone can take something from inside a closed place. It could be that he had someone inside who passed the victims to them... First he caught them, raped them and left the rest for the dark and evil trio. How ridiculous, that was not possible, since it would have to be someone who could wander around Hogwarts alone without permission because the crimes had been committed very late. No student walked around alone at night if he didn't want to run into Filch and an expulsion. Or worse yet run into Snape and spend a week clean… And then I had a new theory that made my blood run cold. Snape wandered freely through the castle. He didn't need much enthusiasm to convince someone to commit murder. And then there was the knife that he stabbed me with, it looked like a dagger for those kinds of dark ceremonies. There was the awful possibility that my potions master was a terrible murderer as well as a despicable tyrant.

It seemed the most accurate even if it was the most horrible for me. I had to search for evidence and search for information, I had no time left. Hogwarts was going to close on Friday... and my sister and I would go home. Isobel... where is she? She is probably in a zombie state near Susan Wells. But I still worried, she was going to be my downfall and not long ago I had promised myself to destroy her. Even kill her. Elinor, you are miserable.

I spent some more time contemplating my crazy thoughts, almost falling asleep while looking at my bare hands. I felt the door to the room open eerily slowly, I saw the knob turn and a large hand appeared grabbing the wooden door, slowly pushing it open without creaking. I quickly grabbed my wand from the nightstand, I always had it handy for emergencies or Izzie tricks. But to my surprise it was none other than Snape who poked his head into the girls' room. Would he come to kidnap me? Honestly now I doubted it but I was still angry at him after what he had done to me. His abominable action had increased my distaste for him. I didn't want to see him, I was disgusted that he even looked at me.

—Rosenberg, didn't Miss Cooper tell you that you had to go up to the great hall? What are you doing lying there? —he told me with an irritated voice but without losing his temper.

—Of course she did, —I said, putting down my wand and picking up the poetry book, —but I didn't want to go. Get out of here, leave me alone. Look for Isobel, maybe she doesn't mind hooking up with a bat like you!

How far would Snape's steadfast patience go? Right now I was ready to check it out. Disregarding even the smallest sample of education. I held my poetry book as a shield for my face, avoiding having to see his, which right now would be in all colors. Possibly he would have the dagger inside his black robe, ready to hurt me again. I don't want to see him, he doesn't deserve another word from me. And less a look when he kills me. Damn hell bat. I wish he would explode right now. Too much damage he had done to me by throwing away my feelings and trampling on them. As if it were not enough with the brand that I would keep for life.

I lowered the book a few inches from my view to see his expression, the one I imagined to be furious. To my surprise, he was still cool and not moving in the slightest from his position.

His arms were crossed over his chest and his usual grin remained unyielding. He stared at me without blinking, that was already beginning to scare me. His dark eyes were impenetrable, as thick and cold as the waters of the lake.

—Are you going to stay here all night, sir? —I protested trying to get on his nerves.

—If you can't go up, I have no choice, Rosenberg. I wouldn't like to expose you...

But what the hell...? I clutched the sheets trembling with contained anger, he was making fun of me. My eyes filled with tears, it always happened to me when I got so angry, it was humiliating. Still I searched in myself for the most furious voice I had and showed it to the teacher.

—How dare you, sir? If I'm like this, it's your fault! I want you to go away and leave me alone! Alone!

Professor Snape didn't flinch at my response, in fact he walked around the room calmly as if he were just walking through his house ignoring my rays of hatred. He took a seat on the corner of Brenda's bed that adjoined mine, it was the only bed that was close. Since Brenda Gordon's departure, I slept very alone in the room because Brenda's breathing was the only one I heard near me, the others were too far away to hear them. Her breathing made me feel safe at night, like the ticking of a clock to puppies that have been taken from her mother.

He didn't answer me. He was looking at me expectantly, watching me, like he had never seen a girl lying in bed holding a book of poetry. From time to time I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, hoping that he would get tired and leave, but it didn't happen. He was still, with his arms crossed and his gaze vacant. He was getting on my nerves.

—What are you reading, Rosenberg? —he said at last.

—You don't mind that at all, sir. —If this didn't piss him off, I don't know what would.

—Alice Summers' body was found on the pier this afternoon, Rosenberg. Did you know?

—Yes, Sarah Harris told me. —I answered, distracting myself from reading.

—Who else was here with you? —he asked again.

I directed my look of hatred at him to see if he scared him away, but I was unsuccessful. He was patiently waiting for an answer.

—There was also Gisselle and Vanessa here.

—Miss Williams and Cooper... Do you know why Miss Summers had marks on her chest when they found her?

—What? I don't know anything, I found out recently, professor. —I said to him without understanding his question.

—Why do you want to enter the forbidden section?

—I repeat, it is none of your business, sir. —I replied scathingly.

Professor Snape scowled angrily, he had little patience left. And on the contrary, I wanted to have a little more fun with him.

—Everything related to finding the culprit is my concern, Rosenberg. —he said, more and more cut off.

—Well, I'm not the culprit. I would like you to leave me alone, I hate you, you are a mean and despicable being who can only harm those around you and not satisfied, you rejoice in their pain. You sir, are the worst man on the face of the earth, and you will die alone!

The hateful words came out without me even noticing. I was so disgusted with him that I couldn't be next to him breathing his own air. I wanted to be away from him and that my heart would not continue to ache because of him. Professor Snape stood up and raised his right hand, ready to hurt me again. But instead of hitting me he snatched my precious poetry book from me. His face could no longer hide the anger he had, it was red. I tried to retrieve the book but to no avail. He came out the door of the room very quickly, like a hurricane, taking with him my heart and my poetry.

Air that kisses, heart that cries,

eagle of pain and passion,

resigned cross, forgiving soul...

that's me.

Serpent of love, treacherous laugh,

executioner of dreams and light,

perfumed dagger, festering kiss...

That's what you are.