Quirrell back away, still trying to cover his face. A figure
appeared at the door - a tousle-haired boy wearing blue striped pajamas.
The people in the room froze as Harry's green eyes stared into Quirrell's
shimmering blue ones. Long seconds passed.
There was whimper from the hospital bed. Harry tore his eyes away from Quirrell's face and shouldered past the teachers, kneeling down beside Erin. Enraged, Severus stepped forward, but McGonagall grabbed his arm.
Harry brushed away a lock of Erin's hair and caught sight of the cut next to her eye. Gently he touched it. His finger came away wet with blood. Ron and Hermione stood behind him uncertainly. The silence hung, oppressive.
There was a crash, and everyone jumped. Following the crash were several bangs and shouts.
"Who's up so late?"
"Who was making all that noise?"
"What's going on?"
It sounded as if they had roused the entire school population, from the noise.
"Shut the door," said Dumbledore tersely. Madame Pomfrey shut it quickly. Erin murmured again and shifted slightly. Harry put a soothing hand on her forehead, then frowned. "She's burning up," he said. For some reason he seemed to be talking to Quirrell. Quirrell moved out of his corner and knelt on the other side of the bed. He put a hand next to Harry's. A soft blue glow began to radiate from his slender fingers. Erin sighed and relaxed, and Quirrell withdrew his hand.
The door opened again, and Flitwick's head popped in. "Headmaster, the students are all up - " he gawked at the strange scene inside.
"Minerva, would you please help calm the students?" McGonagall nodded and left.
"Severus, you need rest."
Severus shook his head. "Erin - " he started.
"Will be fine. You cannot help her when you can barely stand on your feet." Severus' shoulders slumped. "Go to bed." Dumbledore knew that his Potions Master was truly exhausted when Severus left without further argument.
"I must tell the herd where I am," said Quirrell, moving out from behind Erin's bed.
"You're staying, then?" Dumbledore asked, looking intently at Quirrell over his half-moon glasses. A shudder ran through Quirrell's body, but he nodded.
"Then I will see you in the morning," said Dumbledore. Quirrel nodded again, cast his hood up over his scarred face, and moved silently into the hallway.
"Professor," said Hermione in a small voice. "Is he - is You-Know- Who - dead? Or weakened?"
"No," said Dumbledore heavily. "He is shaken, but he will not be weak for long." Harry looked up sharply as he heard these words, but he did not say anything. "Now," Dumbledore continued, "I suggest that you and Mr. Weasley go to bed."
They looked at Harry, who shook his head. Harry's hand closed around Erin's arm. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other, then walked out. Madame Pomfrey had vanished into a back room. Harry, Erin, and Dumbledore were alone. Harry looked straight at the Headmaster.
"I'm not leaving," he said.
"I didn't expect you to," said Dumbledore mildly. "You will be excused from classes tomorrow." And before Harry could even thank him, he was gone.
Erin's eyes fluttered open. "Harry - " she whispered. Harry put a gentle finger on her lips and shook his head. "Go back to sleep," he told her firmly. She nodded slightly and closed her eyes. Her breath became rhythmic and slow.
When Madame Pomfrey came in to check on them, they were both asleep.
There was whimper from the hospital bed. Harry tore his eyes away from Quirrell's face and shouldered past the teachers, kneeling down beside Erin. Enraged, Severus stepped forward, but McGonagall grabbed his arm.
Harry brushed away a lock of Erin's hair and caught sight of the cut next to her eye. Gently he touched it. His finger came away wet with blood. Ron and Hermione stood behind him uncertainly. The silence hung, oppressive.
There was a crash, and everyone jumped. Following the crash were several bangs and shouts.
"Who's up so late?"
"Who was making all that noise?"
"What's going on?"
It sounded as if they had roused the entire school population, from the noise.
"Shut the door," said Dumbledore tersely. Madame Pomfrey shut it quickly. Erin murmured again and shifted slightly. Harry put a soothing hand on her forehead, then frowned. "She's burning up," he said. For some reason he seemed to be talking to Quirrell. Quirrell moved out of his corner and knelt on the other side of the bed. He put a hand next to Harry's. A soft blue glow began to radiate from his slender fingers. Erin sighed and relaxed, and Quirrell withdrew his hand.
The door opened again, and Flitwick's head popped in. "Headmaster, the students are all up - " he gawked at the strange scene inside.
"Minerva, would you please help calm the students?" McGonagall nodded and left.
"Severus, you need rest."
Severus shook his head. "Erin - " he started.
"Will be fine. You cannot help her when you can barely stand on your feet." Severus' shoulders slumped. "Go to bed." Dumbledore knew that his Potions Master was truly exhausted when Severus left without further argument.
"I must tell the herd where I am," said Quirrell, moving out from behind Erin's bed.
"You're staying, then?" Dumbledore asked, looking intently at Quirrell over his half-moon glasses. A shudder ran through Quirrell's body, but he nodded.
"Then I will see you in the morning," said Dumbledore. Quirrel nodded again, cast his hood up over his scarred face, and moved silently into the hallway.
"Professor," said Hermione in a small voice. "Is he - is You-Know- Who - dead? Or weakened?"
"No," said Dumbledore heavily. "He is shaken, but he will not be weak for long." Harry looked up sharply as he heard these words, but he did not say anything. "Now," Dumbledore continued, "I suggest that you and Mr. Weasley go to bed."
They looked at Harry, who shook his head. Harry's hand closed around Erin's arm. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other, then walked out. Madame Pomfrey had vanished into a back room. Harry, Erin, and Dumbledore were alone. Harry looked straight at the Headmaster.
"I'm not leaving," he said.
"I didn't expect you to," said Dumbledore mildly. "You will be excused from classes tomorrow." And before Harry could even thank him, he was gone.
Erin's eyes fluttered open. "Harry - " she whispered. Harry put a gentle finger on her lips and shook his head. "Go back to sleep," he told her firmly. She nodded slightly and closed her eyes. Her breath became rhythmic and slow.
When Madame Pomfrey came in to check on them, they were both asleep.