Chapter Four

Observation A Different Way

I woke in a sweat. Someone was shaking me awake. I opened my eyes and saw that Kerry was shaking my shoulders. Most of the girls in the dormitory seemed to be around my bed, shocked expressions on their sleepy faces.
"What, what's going on?" I asked.

"That's what we want to ask you. You started screaming, and you wouldn't wake up." I sat up in bed, noticing the bedclothes were all tangled around my legs.

"What?"

"You heard us, screaming at the top of your lungs and lashing out." Kerry put her hand to my forehead.

"You're burning up Elixa." She said softly, showing concern for once.

"What's going on in here?" An adult voice asked from the door. Someone had fetched Madame Pomfrey. It took two minutes for her to decide something was wrong and she took me up to the hospital wing.

I woke several times that night, normally from Madame Promfrey shaking me awake in much the same state as I had been in the dormitory. The following morning she looked me over. I was shaking and feverish.

"What have you taken my child?" She asked. I remembered. I reached into my bag and handed her the counter labor potion that Snape had given me the previous evening. He hadn't told me its effects.

"Professor Snape advised me to take one mouthful before sleeping." Madame Pomfrey held the potion up to the light behind the curtain we heard the door open. I couldn't see who it was for the curtains, but I soon heard.

"Severus, it was risky even giving her a potion if you were not informed on the full situation." Dumbledore sounded slightly angry towards Professor Snape who was accompanying him. Madame Pomfrey disappeared to talk with the two professors. She left me alone. I heard them go into her office and I strained to hear. Then I remembered. I picked up the lenimentus audio potion and dropped one drop onto my tongue. The effects were immediately apparent. I could hear their voices in perfect clarity.

"She's hardly slept all night, and she's had her dormitory up for a good part of the night too." Madame Pomfrey exclaimed.

"I thought it best for her. She was suspicious, but she trusted me. It shook her up when the labor herb died in her hands." Snape was trying to defend his position, but it sounded meek.

"I appreciate your willingness to aid your students, but I would have preferred you had come to me about it first." Dumbledore told Snape firmly. There was a pause before the headmaster continued.

"I received an owl from the Ministry today… The Amethysts had their cover blown." I knew my parents were working for the Ministry of Magic, but trying to get close to the dark lord Voldemort. There was a sharp intake of breath from Madame Pomfrey.

"There is an unconfirmed report of Avada Kedavra being cast."

"Heavens no, not the Amethysts." Madame Pomfrey exclaimed in a low cry.

"Poppy, please." Snape made to quiet the witch.

"Adia Amethyst had been found, alive, but hasn't woken. The important thing is that she is alive, and that she's safe at St Mungos."

"And Cassius?" Snape asked.

"Cassius however, is, still missing." Dumbledore told them sadly. Outside the office I was bent double with sobs. It wasn't long before I heard footsteps approaching above them. I looked up to see Madame Pomfrey and then Snape. He took my hand and peeled the fingers from the bottle.

"When they named you Elixa, did they know you'd be so clever with potions? I think they did, and named you after the word elixir." It was quite a disjointed remark, spoken softly as he knew it would sound like he was speaking normally to my ears.