Vivian pulled her cloak close against the chill as she waved Lily goodbye. She took a deep breath in trying to steel herself against the loneliness that was already seeping in. The hallways were quiet, goosebumps started to cover her arms. Her breath came out as small puffs of white as she quickened her pace towards the Gryffindor common room. A barely inaudible hiss snake had her all, but sprinting down the last corridor. Panting she collapsed on the couch.
"Didn't know you'd be that excited to come see me," Sirius joiked causing a small squeak to escape from Vivian. She sat back down reclining back against the couch's cushioned armrest.
"It's just you."
"Just me? I'm hurt" Sirius teased holding a hand to his heart, "Almost seems like someone was chasing you." He added glancing towards the door.
"It's just…creepy I guess. I thought my house was creepy, but the school takes it to a whole new level." She shrugged trying to brush off the unease that had filled her only a moment ago. The fire crackled nearby slowly warming the chill that had worked its way into her bones. She watched the flames dance for a while before realizing how safe she'd felt once she realized Sirius had been there. At least she wouldn't be completely alone, though a part of her was slowly becoming more and more mortified at the fright she'd had. She had squeaked! Squeaked like a mouse! She'd even ran like a little kid afraid of the dark.
"So what keeps you here this holiday? Wait, let me guess. Either you're so in love with your studies and you couldn't bear to leave or your parents are just as crappy as mine and staying at school is a vacation." Sirius grinned, turning to lounge sideways on one of the armchairs.
"Going or staying are the same. Either I could be alone there or alone here. At least here I don't have to cook or clean." Rolling onto her side she reached out to snag a pillow off the floor. She hugged it close before trying to cover a yawn.
"The latter then, eh?" He kept glancing between her and the fire. "It's refreshing, in a way. To know there are other crappy parents out there. Not that I'd wish it on anyone of course, but nice to know I'm not alone. Cookies? The elves left them. Probably taking pity on the ones left behind." He rambled before pushing a tray with a few cookies of various types. "I didn't think anyone else would be here so I may or may not have eaten most of them."
"That was nice of them." Vivian smiled thinking of her own house elf before taking a bite out of a warm chocolate chip cookie. When she was small she'd once tried to give Mardar a scarf. The poor house elf had almost fainted before adamantly refusing. Since then Vivian had vowed to make sure she was treated right and appreciated. Perhaps she could do the same for the school elves during the break.
With that in mind she stood slowly, stretching with a long yawn before saying goodnight to Sirius and heading to her room. Slept overcame her quickly.
A young girl walked down an empty corridor clutching a black book to her chest. The sound of a snake coming through the walls. The girl began to run, bursting into what must have been a girls bathroom at the school before hurdling the book into a stall. The dream shifted. A boy stood in the same bathroom standing in front of the sinks before speaking in a language she wouldn't soon forget. The scene shifted again. The boy stood face to face with a snake larger than she believed possible. A monster taken straight out of a child's worst nightmare. Images blurred. Now the boy was beside a collapsed girl. He took one of the snake's fangs and plunged it into the book. Another boy's scream echoed in her head.
Vivian sat up panting. A scream stuck just within her throat. Looking around hastily she realized she was alone and for the first time she was grateful for it. She quickly grabbed her notebook from it's drawer and wrote the contents of her dream. They seemed to slip away even as she hurried to write them. Closing it she looked around again. The once cheerful room seemed to foreign, full of shadows. Quickly she threw on her clothes before running down the stairs, taking two at a time.
"Whoa there! There will be plenty of food. If there's something you want I'll help you elbow your way through the crowd." Sirius teased leaning against one of the bookshelves. Vivian smiled. She slowed her pace back to a walk.
"If there's someone I'd have to fight over food with it would be you. The way the four of you eat is something else." She teased back before heading out the door.
They were just about to reach the Great Hall Vivian caught sight of Severus.
"Sev! I hadn't heard that you'd be staying." She smiled jogging up to walk next to him. He shrugged half heartedly, "It was a last minute decision. Mum thought it would be best." Vivian thought for a moment pausing before the Great Hall doors.
"Well since you have the time, would you be up for tutoring me in potions? I heard we won't be partnered next semester and without Lily I'm likely to blow something up."
Sev hesitated before finally answering, "I think I can make that work. The library is still open."