The grand common room was dark.  Only a few torches along the cold stone walls were lit.  The area in front of the hearth was dancing from the light of the yellow, orange and red flames, licking at the stone of its prison.

A series of dark coloured couches were placed around the room.  Comfortable looking chairs surrounded a few wooden tables, all of which were void of life.

                The room was quiet and empty, save for five students.  The three green leather-covered couches, forming a three-sided box before the fireplace were occupied by these students.  On the sofa to the left of the fireplace, Trinity and Ax sat together.  He had his arm around her shoulders, and she was leaning against his chest, her fingers lightly drumming on her knee.  On the sofa directly opposite them sat Aries and Harry.  They, too, sat closely together.  Harry was sitting with his left leg resting on his right knee, holding onto Aries' hand.  She was lying down, her head resting against his leg, softly humming the melody of a song, eyes shut.  On the sofa directly facing the hearth, Jamie sat alone.  Both her feet were planted squarely on the cold marble floor; she was leaning forward, elbows resting on her knees, chin resting in the palms of her hands.  She was staring into the dancing flames, her mind wandering.

                None of the five spoke.  They were all silent, save the soft humming.  The crackling and snapping sounds from the fire echoed through the room.

                Staring into the flames, Jamie blinked hard and sat against the backrest of the sofa.  She leaned her head back, allowing it to rest against the cushioned fabric.  She was staring into the rafters of the room.  She was always staring.

                Aries' stopped humming; a deafening silence ran through the room. Listening to the silence, Jamie heard far off voices in her mind.  They were calling to her, beckoning that she come to someone's aid, threatening her life and the lives of her friends.  Sighing darkly, she stood and stepped to the fireplace.  Resting her palms against the mantle, she leaned there, staring hard into the flames.  Her face was burning from the heat, but she didn't turn away.  Something was coming, at least she thought so.  And if it was coming, she wanted to know what it was.

                "Sit down," said Aries gently as she placed a hand on Jamie's shoulder.  "Come and chat with us."

                Turning around, she was met by Aries' eyes, peering into her own.  She smiled at her friend and sat down on her empty sofa.  Aries followed and took a seat by Harry, wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder.

                Trinity sat up and huddled closer to Ax.  She smiled at Jamie, who returned the grin.  "It's nice to have the room to ourselves for the summer," said Trinity cheerfully.  "Isn't it?"

                Aries and Harry nodded their heads, Ax ran his fingers along Trinity's arm, and Jamie smiled.  She stared into the flames again, the voices returning to her thoughts.  She shut her eyes tight and waved her hand at the hearth.  An iron grate fell before the flames, shutting them from her sight.

                "What's wrong?" asked Aries as she watched her friend drop the heavy grate.

                Jamie remained in silence for quite some time.  Within her mind she was trying to banish the chaotic voices.  She could not do so.

                Aries sat down beside her on the lonely sofa.  "Tell me what's wrong," she whispered softly, placing an arm around Jamie's shoulders.

                "Nothing is wrong," she lied, "I'm fine."

                Aries leaned her head against Jamie's shoulder and stared at the iron grate.  "You're lying."

                Jamie stood and waved her hand again.  The thick iron grate rose, disappearing into the chimney.  She stepped to the fireplace and stared at the white-hot embers.  She did not answer Aries' statement.

                Turning around, she saw that Harry and Ax were no longer sitting with the other two.  Looking at Trinity and Aries, "Where did they go?"

                Trinity looked up at her friend, her expression was of confusion.  "They went to bed ten minutes ago."

                Jamie stared at them both.  "I have been standing here for ten minutes?"

                "Jamie," said Aries softly, "You've been standing there for an hour."

                Hearing the words spoken by her friend, she shut her eyes tightly and ran her hand over her face.  She looked very tired.

                "What's going on?" Aries asked her.             

                She remained standing, strongly rubbing her temples as though to work the voices from her mind.  "I don't know," she answered quietly.

                Trinity looked up at her friend.  "What's going on inside your mind?"

                Jamie opened her eyes, she was somewhat shocked, her friends never read her thoughts unless permitted to do so.  "My mind?"

                Aries looked at Trinity, and then back to Jamie.  "Your thoughts are flooding our own.  What's going on in your head?"

                Jamie sat down across from them both.  "Will's voice," she answered, head bowed toward the floor.  "It sounds like he's screaming, like he's being tortured."

                Aries sat down beside her.  She said nothing.  Very gently, she placed her arm around Jamie's shoulders and rested her head against her friend's. They sat in silence for a long while, each trying to make of what had been explained.

                "Well you know it's not true," said Trinity softly. "You got a letter from him only this afternoon."

                "I know," she answered softly.  "But I can't shake these thoughts.  To be honest, it's freaking me out."

                Aries and Trinity remained silent.  None of the three spoke a word.  The crackling of the fire was the only sound that echoed in the dark room.  It was the only sound that Jamie heard as she stared at the floor.

                After a long while, the black and dark green grandfather clock began to chime solemnly.  She looked up at it, "One o'clock," she said to herself.

                Aries yawned and stretched as she stood.  "Go to bed," she said softly to Jamie.   Trinity also stood, looking over at the clock.

                "I think I will stay down here for a little longer," answered Jamie. 

                Neither Aries nor Trinity said anything.  They nodded and left the room in the direction of the dormitories.  "Don't stay down here too long," said Aries as she disappeared up the staircase leading to her room.

                Jamie remained sitting in silence, staring into the flames once again.  Her mind never registered the fact that she had fallen asleep not long after her friends had left.