A/N: Many apologies now, guys, but I have been dragged (kicking and screaming, mind you) back to school. I am not going to be able to update as regularly as I have been doing, but I will try and keep going as far as I can every night.

This chapter is dedicated to Professor Amber Nettles, of Slytherin house.

Apologies for this being short, but I said all I had to say for this little section!

Complications



I didn't do much after that. I just sat and hugged her, because nothing else would calm her down. She was on a rocky road, and a long one. I couldn't say anything anyway, my mouth filled with blood and agony, but even if I had been able to speak, I would have left what I needed to say to silence. The last thing she needed was another round of twenty questions from me; they would have to wait.

Madam Pomfrey had stuck her head around the door of her office to ask me to leave, but seeing Lily crying in my arms, she showed a new side. She smiled sympathetically, and said not another thing. I was very grateful to her, and when I was about to leave, I had every intention of going to her and thanking her. Such thoughts were banished from my mind quickly.

I had thought Lily had fallen asleep. She had been there a long time, and once her breathing had been rhythmic for over half an hour, I gently laid her down on her pillows again and rose to leave. As I walked for Madam Pomfrey's door, I heard her call me back, in a weak and sleepy voice.

"Rene?"

I strolled back a few paces, so I could hear her properly.

"Yes?"

"Ren, will you do me a favour? Tell him for me..." And with that, she fell back to sleep.

"Lil," I whispered "Lil! Damnation Lily! I'll skin you when you come round, I swear!"

And I trudged out of the office. This was again going to be hard. Malfoy and company had been going to fabulous lengths to avoid me over the past few days, except Severus. He showed nothing but cold arrogance, which hurt. Perhaps students of his nowadays do not understand my being upset at this; they have to put up with it on a daily basis for no reason. I swear to all those who take that view, he was a different person. I would not have ever seen him the way he is now, not in a million years, but you must understand. He is a complicated man, with both a complicated past behind him and a complicated future ahead of him.