Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters besides Laura and some of the plot. So in other words you see something that wasn't in the HP books it is mine unless I say otherwise.

Chapter 8 Choices and Helping Hands

Laura and Minerva arrived at the gargoyle which protected and guarded the headmasters office.  The password was whispered and they both silently climbed the stairs, pausing only to knock on the door asking entrance.

"Come in."

Laura walked in slowly taking in her surroundings. She had not paid much attention last time she was in here and now that she was a paying attention her jaw almost dropped to the floor. The magic and energy that flowed around this room was enough to make anyone giddy with excitement. Paintings of famous witches and wizards lined some of the walls while others held staffs, blades and other forms of weapons. Colours seemed to swirl around her, enclosing her in their embrace. Laura's eyes slid closed as she slowly felt all the pent up energy in her relax and settle. Breathing out with a relieved tone to it, she opened her eyes noticing once again that she had all attention on her. Severus Snape, Dumbledore, Minerva and one person she could not identify all stared at her, trying to find out more about this mysterious girl.

Laura quickly put a cold collective face on as she sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk that was overflowing in Lemon Drops and papers.

Minerva sat as far away from both of the Death Eaters as she could get. It was simply bringing to many memories to mind that she wanted to forget. The screaming and whimpers of pain were pushing past all real sounds. Making a horrible terrifying echoing effect. The screams of her mother as she tried to protect her little girls. The whimpers from her sister as she clung to her legs. Minerva blinked rather quickly and repeatedly ensuring that her mind was where it should. These people would not see her fall apart. They were only allowed to see her as her organised and strict self.

Laura shook slightly as a well of emotions pushed at her. She couldn't feel who's emotions they were but all she knew was that whoever's they were, they weren't pleasant. Laura forced a wall up between her self and these feelings which immediately stopped her shaking.

"You wanted to see me?" Laura asked, all signs of weakness not showing in her voice.

" There seems to be the matter of where you will be staying. You cannot stay here at Hogwarts for reasons I cannot tell you and the only places you can go are to the houses of those sitting here."

Dumbledore refused to add that Sirus had offered to take care of the girl. She would distract Harry and Sirius from the bonding they needed to do and get done before the war officially started.

"I don't see the problem. I'm not staying wit h any of them. I can take care of myself."

"Yes you did such a lovely job of it before." Snape muttered sarcastically.

"Those were injuries gained in leaving a place that not many leave alive."

"Be it as it may. I simply cannot allow a child to leave knowing that she will be on her own with no help or any form of guidance." Dumbledore said.

"Look. None of you have any control of over me and I'll stay with whom I want when I want."

"You may believe so but you are most definitely of legal age to be sent out alone." He answered back.

Laura was slowly beginning to lose her temper. How dare they! She had been locked up most of her life, forced to see and do things nobody should ever know about and they wanted  to lock her up. There was no way that they were going to get her to agree to stays somewhere where she would be watched and monitored. If I want to practice my magic and get some training done I can't have people watching me all the time.

Just as Laura was about to reply a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

A person with messy black hair entered the room.

"Ah Harry just one of the people who could help us in this discussion."

"There is no discussion. I'm not going to be locked up like some animal so that you can watch and look at me like some freak. Forget it!" Laura yelled, pushing past Harry and leaving the room at a run. The door banged loudly against the wall, swinging on its hinges.

Harry turned and was about to leave and follow her when he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder roughly. Memories flashed through his head.

He felt the horror creep over his body as he felt his Uncles had clamp onto his shoulders. He was in for it now. He hadn't meant to drop the plate but Dudley had hit him and the plate had slipped.

Pain ripped through his body as he was dragged to the cupboard by his hair.

"Stupid brat. Told you not to ask questions but being the wretched creature you are you don't listen." A kick to the ribs caused him to whimper in pain.

Harry blinked and before really thinking about what he was doing he jerked his body away from whoever had held him back and ran. Harry had never really run through Hogwarts while running from someone and before he knew it he was lost. He sighed. This wasn't the first time that he had done something stupid and foolish. Soon these childish and irrational actions were going to get him killed or seriously injured.

Well that wouldn't be a bad thing now would it?

Harry sighed again, he wasn't in the mood or best of health to be running around getting lost in a castle that seemed larger than a city. Even  though Sirius had stayed with him all night Harry still had all his wounds from the Dursleys. The welts had slowly gone from an irritation to a full out mind numbing pain. Harry felt the pain in his leg also slowly being to intensify. Looking around him he noticed a door to his left and opening it he saw a room that was beautiful yet simple. Colours swirled around each other giving  the room a feeling of peace and of comfort. Hobbling over to the bed near the large windows Harry sat down slowly and reclining further he turned onto his side to rest. His eyes slowing fluttered closed.

I still didn't find Laura.

Sleep, you need rest.

Great now I'm hearing voices.

Don't be stupid. Sleep. You need it.

Mmm okay.

Harry's breathing finally settled into a deep steady rhythm and if he had managed to stay awake a bit longer he would have seen the wolf which walked out of the shadows. The wolf slowly jumped onto the bed and settled down watching Harry for a moment and then she to closed her eyes and slept.

Harry blinked his eyes slowly and was about to stretch his body when he remembered that it would be extremely painful to do so and there was a gentle weight settled on his shoulder and side. Looking towards his side he saw Laura in her wolf form with her head resting on his shoulder sleeping peacefully. Gently so as not to wake her moved off the bed and sighed. That little bit of movement had left him drained and the pain he had forgotten about now returned with a vengeance, throbbing through every inch of his body.

" You could just ask someone to heal you." A voice said from behind him.

Startled Harry turned quickly to look behind him. The room spun madly about him making him nauseous and light headed. Hands gently guided him to lie down on the bed again.

"Relax, take deep breaths." Laura whispered softly.

Her voice seemed muffled and loud at the same time but instead of making things worse for him it seemed to ground him. Slowly his vision returned to normal and the pain returned to a gentle throbbing.

"I'm going to heal you now if it doesn't bug you to much." She told him.

Harry nodded his head in response and gasped when he saw Laura. She glowed with an eerie greenish grey colour. Nothing like the killing curse. This light seemed to fill the room with a calming peaceful enchantment. Laura looked at him through eyes that to glowed with this light. Her hands glowed the brightest and slowly so as not to startle Harry she moved one hand over to his forehead and one to his chest above his heart.. The green light flowed out of her hands and like a stunning swirling mist wrapped around Harry healing him as it travelled over his body. Laura blinked  away the tired grainy feeling that had settled in her eyes. Healing always took a lot out of her and with the amount of injuries Harry had it was even worse. The magick still flowed trough her hands and into Harry. She wouldn't stop until Harry was healed completely. She owed him quite a lot and she was sure that Harry would be able to help her free Draco and that was high on her list of priorities. Finally all the injuries  were healed and Laura slumped forward landing on Harry's chest.

"Laura?" Harry called with concern tinting his voice.

"Mmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. I need rest." Laura answered tiredly to tired to even move off of Harry.

Harry wrapped her in his arms and layed her gently on the bed covering her with the fluffy blanket that had been lying at the end of the bed. Slowly he moved off the bed and as he was about to walk away a soft voice spoke again.

"Don't leave? No nightmares."

"I'll stay. You just rest." Harry replied moving onto the bed next to her simply lying there watching her eyes slide close and her breathing even out.

"Sleep well." He whispered softly.

To be continued…

A/N Okay well first of all I need to thank the following people. Kalih, Nexus, Meagan, Acacia Jules, Moonlight and Kat thank you all for your opinions and reviews. A majority of you voted Harry/Laura and I might give them a go or otherwise I think I'm just going to add some other characters for them. It just fits better in my head like that. I hope I haven't disappointed any of you because of this.

Okay next bit of my authors notes.

Kalih – Yes I do realise that McGonagal is very out of character compared to the books but hopefully this chapter explain why a bit. If not I can always go more into detail in another chapter. Thanks for the helpful and honest reviews.

Well that's it.

Hope you guys liked this chapter. J