A/N: I wanted to get to 50 before I posted this. I hope there's not too many mistakes in this one either. I've reread billions of times, but nobody ever catches every single mistake : I wish I could though, lol.
Thanks to:
lelegurl9: Thanks for reviewing. I was beginning to think all my reviewers died on me, lol. I don't want to give out anything about Ephraim. I have plans for him. Just like I have plans for Draco. They are special characters :)
I always figured that I attract weirdoes. I really did. They zoom over me, like a moth to a fire, and hover until I burn them. Except this weirdo didn't want to be burned, and he hovered at the right distance, just enough to be out of reach of flames. Then, I began to wonder, am I the moth in this case?
"If you keep staring at him, people are going to think you fancy him," Lily whispered to me. She handed me a small piece of buttered toast, and I stuffed it into my mouth absent-mindedly. Ephraim was sitting at the Ravenclaw table talking with Isaac and some kid with freaky blue hair with red tips. I think his name is Seth, but I'm not sure.
"Fancy whom?" I asked, not really paying attention.
"That Ephraim guy." I turned my head and gave her one of the meanest looks I could muster. She just laughed.
"We've been over this, no, I don't. He's just..." I shivered as a breeze picked up. I glanced around to see why and spotted a familiar face walk in the Great Hall. Rilee Riddle had her cloak on and her arms were locked tightly around her body, giving off a sense of cold. Her face was pale and seemed kind of blue, but that could have been a reflection from the streaks in her hair. She walked with her head kind of down, looking at the floor, just enough that you couldn't see her facial expression. Her legs moved slowly but at a fast pace at the same time, if that was even possible. Heads turned toward the Slytherin as she sat down at her rightful table. A couple of seconds later, the post arrived and the attention was adverted.
Kurai dropped an envelope, a muggle one, on my empty plate. She settled on my shoulder and I rubbed the top of her head. "Good girl, thanks. Lily will give you some food." The bird flew the short distance to Lily. I gazed down at the letter. The writing was in crud cursive and there was no return address. Being the curious, little girl I am, I turned it over and opened it.
Emily Anne-
I know you must be looking forward to coming home this summer. I know you miss me. Just to let you know, I'll pick you up, but I'm going to leave you in London. You are no longer welcome in my home. No wizard shall live under my roof, especially insubordinate little wenches, such as you. I suggest you find a new home, probably in an orphanage, but I doubt even one of those can take you. You probably couldn't even survive being a bum.
Aunt Mildred.
I opened my eyes wild with shock. Why would any human being write such a nasty letter to a parent-less, 13 year old girl!? How dare she write to me!
"Who's it from?" Lily questioned. I quickly folded up the letter and stuffed it in my robe.
"Oh, just a friend from my old school."
"A muggle wrote you a letter, and sent it via owl?"
I looked at her. "Shut up, Lily." She raised an eyebrow. "I'm going back to bed."
"But we have Defense..."
"Screw Lupin. I don't feel well and my head hurts," I stated angrily. I stood up and slung my bad over my shoulder. I realized then that I didn't really lie. My head felt light as soon as I got to my feet. As an instinct, I placed a hand on my temple, as if it would make the pain go away. I glanced over at Ephraim and Isaac before exiting the Hall. I stopped outside and leaned against the wall. I felt so dizzy and I don't know why.
"You OK?" I turned and saw Ephraim standing there. He had this worried expression, I mean with the eyebrows burrowed and the mouth in a frown, kind of expression. And I immediately thought to myself, 'Why does he care?' I watched him take a couple of steps toward me.
"Yeah, I have a headache, that's all," I responded. The faint glow that usually surrounds him was more definite and darker, and it seemed to have black dots floating in it. I rubbed my eyes, but it was still there. 'I'm going insane...'
"You look a little disorientated..." he mumbled. "But, if you say you're OK..." He turned around.
"No! Wait!" Ephraim looked back in my direction. "Could you walk me to the infirmary?" I gazed into his eyes, which were again, gray. He sighed.
"Alright. But if I'm late for Transfiguration, I'm telling McGonagall to give you the detention," he answered. I nodded a little, but groaned as my vision went blurry. "Man, you need to lie down before you faint." He grabbed my arms from behind and walked slightly to my side, just enough to keep me from falling.
"Thanks," I said weakly.
"Why didn't Draco come out?" I glanced at him.
"Why do you ask?" But, I knew why he did. Draco was my boyfriend, so why isn't he out here helping me, instead of a complete stranger?
"Just making conversation."
"Mighty strong of a topic for "just making conversation"," I replied. Ephraim gave me a confused look. "Let's just not talk about Draco."
"Ok, then. Err... Whoa!" It was like my legs decided to give out on me and almost collapsed. That moment was when I began to get scared. 'What is actually wrong with me? This can't be good...'
"Heh... Sorry," I murmured.
"Here," he said. Ephraim grabbed a hold of my legs and swung me into the air. "I'll just carry you to the infirmary."
"You don't have to..."
"Well, if you pass out before we get there, I'm gonna end up carrying you anyway. This is more productive." I stayed quiet and didn't complain. What for? I'm being carried around my some strong, Irish dude, there is no reason to protest.
My vision grew blurrier and it was hard to even keep my eyes open. So, I rested my head on Ephraim's shoulder and closed them. It seemed that time it's self –shifted. I was back in the familiar black void.
o.O
I was alone, yet I felt surrounded. But, in reality... well, reality here... I was surrounded, surrounded by black nothingness. There was no smell, no sound, no feeling of time. No nothing. Just... black. I'm not sure if there was even air. Maybe I'm dead, and I don't need air anymore. I waited for those voices but they never came. But when I finally heard something, I wished that I didn't.
"Emily..." I jumped and spun around a couple of times. The person's voice was of a man's... at least it wasn't a woman's. It was weak and feeble, and sort of dry.
"Who's... who's there?" The sound echoed for what seemed like an eternity.
"Just listen, you stupid, little brat," the voice hissed... And I mean, hissed. The sounds he made seemed snake-like, not human, but I understood... "Stay out of my plans. You've already draining my energy enough, I don't need you doing anymore damage."
"What plans?!" I asked, totally confused, and rather frightened. It didn't reply. I sighed and wrapped my arms around my legs. "It's no use..." I know that nothing in my power can me out of here. There's nothing to do but wait... "I'm a little teacup... short and stout... here is my..."
o.O
"Handle... here is my spout..." I sang softly as the blackness slowly disappeared again. I could feel the sheets against my skin and the sweat beads on my forehead. The world seemed to get lighter. It was like, one second I'm in my black void and the next... well, I'm not. It's just that simple. I slowly opened my eyes, to see the world around me. 'I'm in the Infirmary? Why? Oh wait... now I remember, I fainted,' I thought to myself. I stared at the ceiling for a while, before deciding to move. The bed across from me squeaked. I sat up and looked at its occupant. This had to be my first time seeing Rilee in the Infirmary and not be a patient. She sat on the cot staring at me like I was a freak.
Smiling a little in embarrassment, I ran my hand through my hair. "This probably looks really bad..." I started.
"And why's that?" she asked, no trace of malice or scorn in her voice.
"Ummm..." I was slightly short of words. This was a very awkward scene and I didn't really want to say anything else that would make her think I'm even crazier. "How are you feeling?"
"How am I feeling?" she repeated, "You're the one that fainted. You're lucky Ephraim was there. I may not like him, or approve of him, but he helped you." She looked at me oddly.
"Why don't you like him?" I asked hesitantly.
"That, is something I won't indulge." I eyed Rilee funny, but shrugged it off.
Ephraim has been on my mind for two days now, and now I got him out of it, I want him to stay out.
"How did you find out I was here?"
"It's not hard. Everyone knows," she sighed. "You're almost here more times then I am." Riddle grinned. "Of course, I still hold that record."
I was silent for a minute or so. Just gazing at Rilee in disbelief. "How... does... everyone?"
She laughed. "You're more naive then Potter." I growled softly. She stayed quiet for a moment, thinking. When she did speak it contained a hint of sympathy, "Don't growl at me Black, it's true at times. The school knows because Granger told someone, probably a professor, and Pansy over heard her. It's not that big a deal. No one really cares. You've been fainting a lot lately." I gaped at her.
"Have I been out long?" I questioned, taking a quick glance at the window. The treetops that were in view, seemed to do a dance, and the stars shined brightly. 'Seems like an eternity... just like my dreams do...'
"Only for a few hours," was her response. She glanced back at the door, almost as if she had heard something but there was no one there. "Snape wasn't too thrilled," she added absently, still looking at the door.
"OK, do I have a right to be puzzled now? Why would Snape be angry?"
Another absent response, "You weren't in class and we did a, and I quote him directly, "Very important potion today. Those that fail to make this properly will receive two-night detention with me making it over until you get it perfect." He was a prick today." Slowly she turned back to me, confused slightly.
"I take it, I'm going to be in that detention, since I wasn't there to "properly" make this "very important" potion?" I sighed and threw my legs over the bedside. I still felt sort of dizzy. "Ow," I muttered, clutching my head. 'Yup... still dizzy.'
"No, you don't. He and I had a .....talk. You passed that grade with perfect A's."
"Errr... Thanks, I guess..." Standing up, I reached for my robe. Madame Pomfrey came in and let out a small screech.
"Miss Black! You shouldn't be out of bed yet! You have to rest!" she told me, rushing over.
"I'm fine," I replied.
Rilee stood up, "Madam Pomfrey, can I talk to you a sec?" She jerked her head to the corner, actually making the older women do as ordered. I stared at them as Rilee spoke quietly and quickly to the nurse. Pomfrey looked a bit ruffled when she came back.
"You have permission to go Miss Black," she said cautiously. "And if you feel dizzy please - "
"Let her go Pompy. She's fine." The last words sounded more like a bark. I put my bag on and looked at the two of them, probably resembling a deer caught in headlights. I didn't respond out loud to the strange behavior, but I'm sure my expression made it clear. I walked out of the room and turned around to see them. "I think I might go see if I can find any food..." I finally said, slowly.
Rilee nodded. "I'll go with her Pomfrey. You need not worry," she added with extra emphasis. Madam Pomfrey actually stomped her foot in anger but remained quiet. She hurried back into her office and shut the door tightly.
"Why are you being so nice to me, Riddle?" I asked tentatively.
Rilee looked back at me from where she stood near the door. "I'm not."
"It seems to me that you are... You're acting all weird..."
She seemed to get a bit angry at my questions. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you, Black. Don't question my reasoning."
I didn't feel the need to answer her on that one. "Dinner is already over I take it?"
She nodded briskly. "I'll get us some food though." We walked out of the Infirmary, Riddle in front as fidgety as a mouse. I didn't understand it all, why was she helping me? What was her motive? And why was she so jumpy?
I followed her quietly, not sure if I should say anything to her or not. A couple of minutes past, or maybe more, I wasn't quite sure of time at the moment. We both seemed jump when a loud noise filled the hallway. And we both kind of got spooked.
Rilee passed each opening to a new hall quickly, literally jumping to the other side. I followed at a less, active, pace. We ended up at a large painting of fruit. She walked up to it slowly, looking around to see if anyone followed us, then tickled the pear. The picture opened in the same way the portrait of the Fat Lady did. Inside was a huge crowd... of house elves?
Rilee snapped her fingers and two small house elves came up to us. She whispered in one's ear and told the other to get some soup for us. Then she also asked for something she called a "Serpents Kiss."
One rushed back up to us and handed each us a bowl of soup. Rilee sat down, and gestured for me to do the same. I began to eat my soup, when another elf approached Rilee.
The small elf handed her a goblet of some steaming green thing. She eyed it carefully then drank the entire thing at once. Her body shivered uncontrollably for about ten seconds then she just went on eating her soup.
I eyed her as I ate. 'That wasn't normal...' "Hey... I guess I should say thanks... I mean for getting me some food..." I drifted off with my sentence.
"Think nothing of it," her voice sounded cracked and weak. 'What was wrong with her?' "Want anything to drink?" she asked, stronger this time.
"Umm... Sure. Some hot tea would be nice..." Rilee snapped her fingers again and another elf came up. Rilee dropped her bowl when she saw him.
"DOBY!!"
A/N: This chapter long enough for you people? I mean it's six pages, with a couple sentences on a seventh. Dang, lol. How did you like her dream? Heh. Oh yeah. Dreams are fun. 27 is more than half done, but don't expect it to be posted until next week. And everyone! January 13th is my birthday!!!Hehe.