Chapter 16- Pike as usual hadn't even bothered top go to class, instead he found Eden, and convinced her to skip class again (although it didn't take much to convince her.) Pike had been too busy staring at Eden, trying to figure her out to talk much. Some fourth year Gryffindors were wandering the halls, apparently Professor MacGonagall had been called to a meeting and had cancelled all of her classes for the day. As they turned a corner Eden stopped dead in her tracks. Jasper leaned against a wall, and Shaylee Madden, a fourth year Slytherin that Pike despised were deep in conversation. Shaylee ran her hands daringly through Jasper's hair, but quickly backed away at the sight of Eden. Jasper had been telling Shaylee of how his mother died trying to stop Voldemort herself, "Well that wasn't very smart was it?" she sneered, and instantly realized her mistake as she saw the furious look on Eden's face. "But it WAS the bravest thing to do." Eden hissed. Pike instinctively knew what was going to happen, and he knew Shaylee was going to be rat meat if he didn't think of something. Not paying attention to anything that was being said, he formed a plan. After all, he was telekinetic, was he not? The last thing he heard as he came back to his senses was Eden cruelly saying "Because they don't love you." and Shaylee screaming. "You bitch!" she cried, and nearly flew at Eden. Jasper flew in between them and ended up catching a fist from Eden, which throwing him against a wall. He fell to the floor and Eden barely flinched her gaze at the sight of her brother. She wanted to finish this. Eden raised her fist again, and Pike raised his hand, concentrating his power on Eden's arms and feet. Instantly the Punch that Eden had begun to throw stopped in mid-air, as if Pike himself were holding it. Eden looked down and realized that her feet were no longer touching the floor. "Come on Eden," Pike said calmly and let her feet slowly touch the ground, "She's not worth it." Eden nodded, in shock of floating over a foot above the ground, Jasper and Shaylee both seemed stunned, although Shaylee had seen Pike use his power before. "This isn't over Parker!" Shaylee wailed, grimacing and gritting her teeth. "No, its just begun." Eden hissed back quietly, still staring at a very Shaken Shaylee Madden. "Eden! Come on... Now." Pike said, commanding in his voice. Eden nodded and backed away from the scene, and Pike watched until she was by his side, and they walked away. "I need to get outta here." Eden sighed, "I need to lie down or something." "Alright, I'll take you back to Gryffindor tower." Pike said quietly. "No. You don't have to. Really!" she pleaded but by the time she gave up arguing with him, they were already at the portrait of the fat lady. Before Eden could approach the painting, Pike rested his hand on her shoulder. She abruptly turned, still looking angry, but taking note of his expression, her anger quickly melted away, into sadness. "Don't let them bother you." he said softly, taking her deeply in his arms, and enfolding her in them. "AHEM!" the fat lady grunted, seeming quite offended. Neither of them noticed. Eden flinched as she felt Pikes hands caress her spine, but she gave herself up and buried her face in his chest. He smiled warmly, and she looked up into his gaze. He pulled one of her bands out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. They both smiled deeply and she turned toward the painting, his hand slid down her arms, and stopped at her palms, and he gently caressed her hand. She let herself linger there for a moment, and then she broke their touch and walked through the portrait hole, keeping her gaze locked with Pike's until the painting creaked shut. Pike jumped at the voice of the fat lady booming, "You better be good to her young man!" Pike smiled wickedly and gave the fat lady the finger, and laughed and raced down the stairs. Moments later he heard Peeve's maddening cackle, and before Peeves could even drop the water balloon he had been carrying onto Pike, Pike drew his wand, "Ispartica!" he started, and sparks shot out of his wand. Pike casually walked down the corridors, Peeves now floating away quickly as Pike put his wand away, screeching and holding his transparent rear. A cruel smile flicked over Pike's face as he strolled to the infirmary, intent on terrifying as many people as possible, for he was in an unnervingly good mood. The energy he had nearly all drained from him as he spotted Lee rounding A corridor, Estelle in his arms. It took only one look to assess the situation. "Shit..." he began, staring pointedly at Lee, "You better get her to Pomfrey, NOW" he finished and silently hurried to the infirmary.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

"I don't know what's wrong with her." Madame Pomfrey said in a panicked voice, barely above a whisper. She was shaking with nerves and beginning to sweat. Lee clutched at Estelle's cold hand desperately. "You don't know?" Pike screeched, 'YOU'RE the nurse!" Pike had regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. Madame Pomfrey's jaw tightened, and she began to look hopeless. "Do you know anything Lee?" Pike asked in a softer voice, and Lee shook his head in frustration. "Nothing." Lee sighed, "I've tried reading her a thousand times, but its sto blurry, I can't get a thing." he seemed on the verge of tears. Silence pervaded the room until Madame Pomfrey shook her head and wrung her hands, "I'm going to get Dumbledore." and continued muttering something that Pike couldn't make out. His head began to spin. He felt he needed to do something, but he didn't know what. Madame Pomfrey rushed out of the room, and Pike sank to the floor. Lee looked at Pike with worried eyes, and dreaded what he knew he was going to say, but dreaded it more because he knew Pike would be right. "She's dieing Lee." Pike sighed, "You know she is." his eyes were glazed over, as if he too could feel Estelle's pain. But he couldn't. Lee nodded, tears sprang to his eyes, "She's not going to survive the night." Lee looked at Pike with eyes that longed for an answer to this mess, but Pike did not know what to do, and shrugged. "We'll just have to wait for Dumbledore," Pike said, "he'll know what to do." he finished, hope still in his voice. Lee knew what was wrong, and he knew Dumbledore couldn't fix it.

A few moments later Dumbledore burst into the room, Madame Pomfrey bustling behind him. He seemed to age another to years as he entered the room and looked upon Estelle's haggard and pain washed face. He stared at Estelle with Sympathy, and also held an air of clueless-ness. He looked up at Pike and Lee, noting both of their worry. Dumbledore stroked his beard, in all of his years, even he had never seen anything like this. He had mumbled several incantations in the moments after, but to all of they're dismay, nothing had happened. He looked over to Madame Pomfrey and muttered something, she bit her lip and silently nodded, "We need you two boys to leave the room." she said, sorrow in her voice. Pike nodded and reluctantly began to walk away, but Lee stood still, "I'm not moving." he said, not tearing his eyes away from Estelle. "She'll not live another minute if you don't move!" Madame Pomfrey said sternly. Lee looked up and after a moment nodded blindly, slowly backing out of the room. Lee met up with Pike in the hallway, who had borrowed an owl from a certain Willow O'Brian, who was infirmary help, and sent a message to his sister. She appeared only a few moments later, looking as if she ran the whole way to the infirmary. Both of the children seemed to show the compassion and worry that Snape himself could surely never possess himself. Lee sank to the floor and let his hands clutch his face. "Estelle will be okay, won't she?" Airykkaa asked, her voice almost shaking. But to no matter, her question faded into an uneasy distance. Tears brimmed around her unripe banana-green eyes, and a somewhat perverse silence filled the air. Airykkaa could have screamed with joy at the sight of Draco, thinking he had come to comfort her, and give her an assurance that everything would be okay. "Well," he snickered, noticing the look on Lee's face, "If it isn't the Hogwarts cheer club?" Lee looked at Draco menacingly, but he stayed undeterred, "Don't cry Fallows, I'm sure if you take the body now you can still do obscene things to it." Airykkaa stared at her boyfriend in total and utter disbelief, torn between wanting to run to his arms and be comforted, and being disgusted at his behavior. Pike shot Draco a warning glance "Draco..." he began, quietly, but with warning that would have made an auctioneer go mute. "Hello Pike," Draco began, calmly but with a slight smirk, "Don't deny me my bit of fun now. It's not everyday we see Mr. Emotionally Constipated here a complete wreck." he smirked, not caring whether he had hit a nerve or not. He laughed at his own comments, "It's quite amusing actually." he finished, staring at Lee. Pikes eyes rolled in his head, but Airykkaa, who had been fighting tears for several minutes now, was on the verge of losing that fight. Lee stared blankly at Draco, although his eyes blazed, they seemed to be lacking of any and all emotion. Stunned by Lee's lack of a reaction, Draco took a step back. He walked away quickly, very confused at what had just happened. "He must be really upset," Pike began, "Under normal circumstances... Draco would be dead. Twice." he finished, staring at Lee with extreme anxiety, Lee's mood had become extremely unpredictable. Airykkaa was completely torn now, "What? He'd KILL Draco?!" she gasped, feeling as id she was being pulled in one way by her friends, and another by her love. "He'd kill anyone who said anything like that to him. Lee has no morals, no sense of right or wrong, especially when it comes to Estelle." Pike said, shivering, "She keeps him from doing any real harm to himself... or others for that matter. Don't ask me how, she's just as dangerous if not more. But she manages. With her gone... there's no telling how he'll react." he finished shakily, some fear laced in his voice. Airykkaa stared in disbelief, "Are you saying she's going to die?" she asked, her voice shaking and anxiety stricken. Lee lifted his head, "I saw it." he grimaced, "She died in agony, right in front of me." he grimaced as if he could see her future. Airykkaa burst into tears, her usually (Yes, Usually) calm, mild- mannered demeanor completely lost, as she cried and shrieked for several minutes. The next hour was a complete blur, Madame Pomfrey shrieked about wartsbane, and notified them all that Estelle was getting worse, and by the end of it all, Lee had disappeared all together, a grim and determined expression carven into his features. He reappeared a half an hour later, walking past Airykkaa and Pike, and straight towards Estelle's bed, which now had curtains surrounding it. He seemed calm, walking into them, and all was quiet.