Chap 10- Running down towards the dungeons, he reached the smooth, bare, and damp wall and muttered the password, "Pure-blood." The door slid open soundlessly, and as he entered every Slytherin in the room stood up to ask how Airykkaa was. Especially Draco, he had bags under his eyes, and Pike knew that unlike his sisters, they were stress induced. "She's going to be fine." he said before anyone could ask. As he walked past Estelle he gave her a cold, piercing glare. It sent shivers up Estelle's spine, and she turned away guiltily. Pike touched another wall, and the door to the boys dormitories slid open, "Draco, come get me when it's time for supper." he shouted, and then the door slid soundlessly shut behind him. He turned towards his bed and found Lee sitting on it, soundlessly waiting for him. "Pike we need to..." Lee began, but Pike cut him off immediately. "Lee, there is nothing... NOTHING else to say. You know as well as I do that she nearly died today. I don't have to say that for you to know it." Pike said as tears slid freely down his cheeks. "And that bitch Pansy Parkinson pretended to console me about it! I think she's happy that Airykkaa is hurt! You saw her face when Draco started talking to my sister." he growled "I know." Lee whispered, knowing Pike's pain. "Estelle didn't know what she was doing. I know that." he sighed, knowing that Pike would have nothing to do with the subject, "She just snapped." Pike eyes him wickedly, "You have no idea what she's done." he snarled. "Listen to me! God damnit Pike! She thought I liked Airykkaa and snapped!" Lee said, trying to snap Pike out of his rage, "It was a jealously thing and she snapped!" He was going to say more, but the pain still in his head made him sit back down again and keep quiet. Pike eyes him slowly, considering what he said, wondering if he was merely sticking up for Estelle, or if he was being truthful. "Pike... you know me better than that." Lee said, reading Pike like a book, "She has had more pain and rejection in her life than most humans could bare, we both know that." he finished, with his scarlet eyes downcast. "I know." Pike said, his anger dieing for the moment, knowing that Lee was right. "Now... if you ever happen to calm down a bit, she may just work up the courage to talk to you again." Lee said, "She is really sorry, you should have seen her after she realized what she did. She's a total wreck." Pike let out an enormous sigh, "Where is she?" he said, not entirely sure he wanted to even look at her yet. Lee glared at him, and Pike rolled his eyes. But Lee couldn't blame him, and knew he had every right to be seething with anger. "Out in the common room I presume." Lee said. "You didn't have to take the blow." Pike said, as he remembered seeing Lee on the ground too, "Why did you do it?" his tone was of extreme respect and gratitude. "I couldn't just let her die, you know I couldn't." Lee said, managing a small grin, "It would have been such a waste." Pike nodded and smiled, and turned and left the room, heading towards the common room. As he entered the common room, vast green lamps illuminating the room, he saw Estelle. She was sitting on the floor, sitting in front of the fireplace, face ravaged with guilt. Her swirling purple and blue eyes locked with the dancing flames. The flames mocked her very presence, having born witness to the darkness that seemed to have prevailed that very day. Estelle jumped at the sound of Pike's pained voice, "Why?" was all he said, his tone, consisting of only hurt, anger, and betrayal, sounding almost inhuman. "I didn't know. Honestly..." her voice trailed off into the gloom that seemed to be haunting the room, and for once, she let tears flow freely, without worrying of anyone seeing her. "I didn't even know what I was doing until I heard Lee scream." she said, her voice cracking and barely audible. "Horse shit!" Pike screeched, and Estelle knew that he did not believe her for a second. "Pike! I didn't!" Estelle said, tearing her eyes away from the fire, sounding almost panicked. "You knew enough to not ask questions before you acted." Pike said, his voice cold, but then his tone changed to total exasperation, "And what's worse? You know Lee well enough by now. As much as he is a chicken shit for not saying it, he loves you. You should know that. He could never betray you, especially not for someone who's already dieing anyway!" he finished, tears pricking her eyes. Estelle's eyes grew wide, "Dieing?" she said, almost unbelieving, "But she looks so... normal." "You'd be surprised what a few simple potions can do." Pike said, now his voice just full of worry. "She wasn't supposed to even survive birth." he said, shaking his head incredulously, "Dad told us about it once, and even I don't think he ever fully recovered from the sight." "Go on." Estelle said comfortingly, gently pulling him towards the ground, motioning him to sit down. He did so slowly, sighing all the while, "My birth was complicated, but my mother hemorrhaged. By the time she got to the hospital..." Pike said, choking. He desperately tried to pull himself together again, but failed, "By the time she got to the hospital, she had lost so much blood. The doctors didn't think that Airykkaa would survive with the lack of blood flow. My mother didn't even have the strength to push anymore, and thankfully she slipped into unconsciousness. "They couldn't give her any painkillers, her heart-rate was already too low. They had to do a C-section. Das said that Airykkaa was so pale, she looked almost a light shade of blue. As soon as they took her out, my mother died." he said, tears flowing freely again, and his voice cracked with every other word, "I think she was holding on long enough for Airykkaa to be born, forcing to live long enough to give my sister her own" he said, finishing, completely emotionally drained. By this time every Slytherin in the room had noticed, and some of them even had tears in their eyes too, none of them had known the whole story. Draco sat motionless on the couch, tearing up, and having great wellings of sympathy. Lee had been listening from a distant corner, and he felt Pike's pain, but he also felt a new understanding come between Pike and Estelle, and he smiled. Estelle's tears stung with tears, and she took Pike in her arms, and gently rocked him, feeling some protective need wash over her. Pike eventually spoke again. "Airykkaa's body never fully recovered from the damages, from the lack of blood-flow." was all he said, hurting, "I got the good body, and she got the bad one." Estelle noticed a twinge of guilt, and knew that even though it was in no way his fault, he felt guilty that he had not been the weaker one. He felt that he should have been the once to suffer. Lee wanted to come over towards them, and comfort them both, but he repressed the urge, knowing that they needed to speak alone. "My parents never loved me." Estelle said, sounding unnervingly calm. Pike looked up at her, intent on listening to her every word. "I was too much for them to handle, so many problems, and now way to control them. My mother was a witch, but has never admitted to it. My father was just about the worst type of muggle you could find. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age six, and my mother went into a breakdown. I was the abnormal one next to my 'perfect' siblings." she said, sighing, "So one day my father sent me to the U.K. to live with my Aunt." she continued, her features taking an unruly turn towards humor. "My Aunt was a bit mad... Mad isn't the word for it," she said, grinning, "She loved me and raised me, doing everything she could for me. When I got my letter for acceptance into Hogwarts she was ecstatic. And so I'm here, she bought everything I would need, and told me that I would make a wonderful witch." she smiled. "And you are." Pike said, smiling. Then to Estelle's dismay, he took up an impression of his father, with humor of course, "If you would only apply yourself Miss LaShadi. Now what happens when you mix wartsbane with potrotters root?" Estelle burst into laughter, slapping Pike playfully. "Shut up!" Pike grinned like an idiot, rubbing the side of his head, "Nice shot." was all he said, and Estelle nodded and smiled. "Friends again?" Estelle asked cautiously. "Of course." Pike replied, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Stop looking at us and come over here, your giving me the creeps." he said to something unseen. Lee stepped out of the shadows and smiled, "How did you know I was there?" he said, looking rather quizzical. Pike took up a rather freaked out stance, "I can feel you looking at me, its wigging me out." he said, grinning somewhat. "When is Airykkaa allowed to have visitors?" Lee and Estelle both asked in unison. "Madame Pomfrey said that she would wake up some time tonight, and she wouldn't be able to leave for a few days unless something miraculous happened, so I'm guessing tomorrow night." Pike said, weighing the odds and astonished with himself. He had been injured so many times that he knew how Madame Pomfrey ran things, from A to Z. Lee's expression changed "You know, I wanted to tell her myself." he said, nodding towards Estelle. "Really? When were you going to get around to saying it? A week? A month? A year from now?" Pike said, smugness in his voice. Lee looked surprised and his face flushed, "Your an idiot Pike." he growled, and walked away. Pikes face took a look of completely faked indignation and apology, "Aww. Lee?" she said, nearly laughing out loud. He turned to Estelle and shrugged, "Cute isn't it?" he said, and she nearly doubled over in laughter. Seconds later all Pike and Estelle could both see was a hand protruding from the boys dormitory, with the middle finger sticking straight up. Everyone in the room heard Lee's next words, "Blow me." being growled in frustration, and nearly everyone let out a fit of giggles. Pike burst into laughter, "No thanks dear, maybe some other time." was all he said, choking with laughter the whole time. Estelle just sat motionless, a grin seemed to be glued to her face, and she shook her head, "Do you have a death wish?" she asked him, laughing. He took on a rather wide eyed look, almost dreamy, and if Estelle thought he was smiling like an idiot before, she was completely taken aback, "Only every third Tuesday of November." was all that Pike said, his voice holding a simple tone of neutrality. "Your mad!" Estelle laughed, "Completely mad!" "I think it comes from my father's side of the family." he said, continuing his great jest, having a ball the whole time. They both noticed Draco across the room, looking just about as wide eyed as Pike did, having a mad fit of laughter. Pike wanted to desperately go back to bed, but it was time for supper. He looked sulkily at Estelle, "What I wouldn't gibe for an hour of sleep." "What? You've slept all day!" Estelle replied, getting off of the floor. "Yeah, but lets go get some grub." Pike said, as he walked toward the boys dormitory to inform Lee of the time. They walked off toward the great hall together, and took their place, Draco once again looked quite upset, staring at the cold empty seat beside him.