A/N: Alright Kiddies, I've got to apologize for no updating in over a month. I've had a lot going on. Our house was getting fixed up because my brother had a little tousle with a static ball and practically burned up his room (and part of mine too). Then I went to the City for a few days and stayed in this awsome penthouse with some friends. Then my Uncle died and we had a not so lovely wake/family reunion where I caught up with some family I haven't seen since I was two and I nearly got hit by car J-Walking back to the parking lot. Then my grandfather got pneumonia. Yesterday I took a mini road trip to the Evanston Lakefront and stood on the Glacial High Tide Lines and jumped off the "iceburg" just before it fell into Lake Michigan. And I got a new really cool cd player because I screwed the old cool one up. And I got The GREEN DAY AMERICAN IDIOT CD. YAY!

ahem

enough boring updates. Two chappies to make up for one month post abstinence. Enjoy!

Chapter 19: The Hospital Wing, Oh Joy.

"Exhausted, the poor boy. His body couldn't keep going."

"He did say something about not getting more than an hour of sleep a night since last term."

"I'm not surprised, I mean who would be after what happened?"

"I would. He never told me what went on, not that it's any of my business. He did mutter something about a Ministry and godfather but I think he was delirious. I didn't think anything he was saying actually meant something."

Harry's eyes snapped open. Everything was a blur and his head hurt, so of course he knew where he was.

"Why am I in the hospital wing?" He asked, interrupting the conversation the people around him were having.

"Harry!" squealed a female voice, Hermione's he guessed. "Thank goodness! We thought the bump on your head did more than this."

"Why am I in the hospital wing?" He repeated, sitting up and putting his glasses on. Quite a few people were gathered around his bed, and certainly more than he would have expected. Hermione, Ron and Alana stood on one side, all leaning against each other and looking more than starved of sleep. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and to Harry's disgust, Snape, stood on the other and looking much more rested.

"You blacked out mate." Ron said sleepily "Hermione came bursting into the dormitory to wake me up."

"He was like a log." Hermione said.

"She kicked me you know. Kicked me." Ron countered indignantly. Harry laughed along with Alana, but stopped when a wave of dizziness almost made him pass out again.

"I think that means you need more sleep." Alana joked. "The work hasn't even started coming in yet and you've already got exam jitters. Can't wait to see what you'll be like when the masters over here start dishing out the crap- I mean, homework." She smiled and glanced teasingly at the Professors. Dumbledore of course was chuckling, McGonagall was as stone-faced as ever, but Snape, whom Alana had yet to meet formally, looked venomous.

"Oops, looks like the one on the end doesn't have much in the way of a funny bone." She whispered to her friends. "It'll be fun to torment, ahem, I mean attend his classes." Ron snorted in an attempt to hide his laughter and Hermione giggled silently.

"So what happened?" Harry asked "The last thing I remember is you talking, then I sat down..."

"Me, talking?" Alana asked "You must have had some funny little dream in there because the only things I said were 'I can't sleep' and 'What about you?'. Other than that, you were rambling nonsense."

Harry stared at her, completely lost. "But, you said..."

"I promise I didn't say anything." She told him one thing but the look she gave him certainly said another.

"That still doesn't explain why his body went into shock." said Madame Pomphrey as she emerged from her office carrying a frosted goblet and block of chocolate. Harry accepted the goblet and drained the frigid potion quickly, tilting the glass until every last drop was drained.

"I must insist that you all leave now." Madame Pomphrey said as she broke apart the block of chocolate with her small hammer. "He needs an examination and if I find absolutely nothing wrong with him then maybe I will allow him to return to his own dormitory tonight. But I find even one thing amiss-"

"I won't have to spend the night will I?" Harry interrupted. "I just got here. I can't stay tonight."

"And why not?" The nurse asked indignantly as she handed Harry some chocolate. " Would you walk around with a concussion for a week?"

"No." Harry continued edgily, "But I don't want to stay here either."

"No one does mate." Ron said as he left the Infirmary, Hermione and Alana right behind him. "I suppose we'll see you later."

"Bye Harry."

"Yeah, see you in class! And you get to start your homework right away. No one's given them any yet but I'm sure grumpy over here will have an essay for you, right sir?"

Snape sneered at Alana and stalked out of the room ahead of them, his robes billowing out behind him as per usual.

"Yeah, that's right! Billow those robes because you know it terrifies everyone!" Alana shouted after him and showing that she, unlike most people, was not even remotely bothered by Snape's sour personality. Behind her, soft chuckling could be heard and she spun around to see who was laughing at her.

"I would not make a habit of tormenting your professors" Dumbledore said as she faced him. "And Professor Snape has a habit of seeking revenge. Not his best quality, but part of his unique personality."

"I'll try Uncle," she replied "But I don't trust him. There's something he's not being honest about, plus he reeks of death. You may think he changed, but I'm not so sure." Her gaze followed Snape down the hall until he turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

"I assure you Alana, he has no loyalties to Voldemort anymore." Dumbledore gave his 'niece' a small and heartfelt smile and traced the untrustworthy potions master's steps out of the hospital wing, professor McGonagall right beside him.

"I'm not so sure....."

"I suppose you may go Mr. Potter, but be certain to get a good night's rest this evening. If you can't fall asleep, come here and I'll get you a potion to help."

Lucky for Harry, nothing had been wrong with him and he didn't have to stay the night, He was, however, free to go to classes. He wasn't quite sure which was worse actually.

Back in the boy's dormitory, he glanced over his schedule. Charms was just about finished and the only classes left that day were....

"Great, Potions and Divination. Welcome back Harry."

"Hey, at least it's not doubles. That's just about the only way it could get worse right?"

Harry jumped a foot in the air when he heard the voice behind him.

"Alana! Jeez, you scar- Aren't you supposed to be in Charms right now?" Her first day and she already screwed something up. Alana was sitting on Ron's bed, leaning against the headboard and twirling her wand around her fingers as she concentrated on reading The Standard Book of Spells: Grade Five

"Nope. Dumbledore gave me today off to catch up on five years worth of learning magic." She pointed her wand at an ink stain on the soft rug.

"Evanesco!" she said strongly and the spot disappeared instantly,as did the stone beneath it. She stood up from the bed and peered cautiously through the hole. She could see the common room underneath them. "Hmm.... I think I may have overdone it a bit." Harry nodded fervently as he tucked his books into his bag.

"How much do you have left to work on?" He asked. He was amazed how far she was for only a few day's worth of reading.

"I think I'm done actually." Alana replied. She was trying to work out the reversal charm but snapped the book shut. "This is the only one I'm having loads of trouble with." She studied the hole again and peered up at Harry. "You reckon anyone will notice."

"Definitely." Harry stooped down next to the hole and wiggled a finger through it. "We could put the rug over it."

"Nah, may as well fix it up." Alana stood up and waved a hand towards the mark and it immediately repaired itself, glowing softly as the stone filled in. "Ready to leave? We could probably catch Ron and Hermione in the Entrance Hall."

"Are you actually going to go to class even though you don't have to?" Harry asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder. Alana nodded her head. "What kind of student are you?"

"One who wants to torment the two worst professors in the school." Alana replied, smiling mischievously. She grabbed Harry by the hand and ran out of the tower, dragging him behind her.

"Guess who?" Alana whispered into Ron's ear, covering his eyes and changing her voice with magic.

"What the-?" He jerked to turn and face Alana but she held him still.

"Come on...Who is it?" she whispered in a different voice. "You must have some idea." Harry and Hermione watched them and laughed. Ron was panicky and Alana was having loads of fun toying with his head.

"Let go of me!" Ron said angrily, trying to toss Alana off again and almost succeeding, but she regained her balance just in time.

"One guess, please?" Alana pleaded, using Mrs. Weasley's voice this time.

"Mum?" Ron replied, confused and spinning around. "Oh, you." he said when he saw it was only his new friend. "What was that for."

"You know Mr. Weasley, I daresay I don't like your tone." Alana continued, now using Snape's voice. "But seeing as I'm a grumpy, beak-nosed, greasy haired wanker, I'd say I'm the one who should be punished." She started pacing the Entrance Hall, making her robes fly around her the same way Snape's did.

"Look at me, I'm scary and intimidating because I don't smile and talk slowly. Fear me and my stinky dungeon of doom."

"Speaking of dungeons, we have about two minutes to get there." Hermione said, checking her watch. "You won't want to be late on your first day of this class."

Alana waved her hand, showing she wasn't really worried about the subject.

"I wasn't even supposed to go to classes today. He should be happy if I grace him with my presence."

"That may be well and good for you, but the rest of us are on a schedule." Hermione shot back. "And we have to set an example for the younger students."

"No need to get pissy." Ron said in Alana's defence. "What's wrong with you? You aren't usually so uptight? She was only kidding around."

"Fine, you're right. Never mind, whatever." Hermione replied shortly and with lack of sincerity. "Excuse me, I have a class to attend." She huffed away across the hall, leaving her friends behind to be completely confused.

"What was that all about?" Harry muttered to Ron "She's not usually so..."

"Rude?" Ron offered. Harry shrugged in confusion.

"First day jitters." Alana said cheerily. "I always get them when I have to do something new. Maybe she's just worried because it's N.E.W.T. potions now."

A/N: Now I'm off to listen to AI and write some more damn chapters to appease the masses. If the masses are considered to be one lone and loyal reviewer. To hell with everyone else. You rock SilverTrinity! ( I think from now on you will be known as Trin. Because I am too lazy to write out your entire name. That is unless you tell me to call you something else of course.)