A/N: Hey guys so if you couldn't tell, I'm back. I'm trying to keep updated better, starting with having this chapter up within a week of the last one. Yay! I will now apologize in advance for future me who doesn't post chapters on time. Anyway, as always please read, review, and enjoy! Love ya lots! ~ Piper

I made my way into the common room, only to find Rose and Albus sitting in our old usual corner. I made my way over to them, noticing James pacing back and forth in front of Rose and Albus. They couldn't have been waiting long, but it had been long enough that they looked worried. I approached them without them realizing I was there.

"Keep pacing like that and you're going to wear a hole in the floor," I said, crossing my arms over my chest, bringing my lips into a smirk.

"You're here!" Rose cried out, leaping up and embracing me in a hug. I let out a soft groan in pain, but hugged her back. Once she let go of me, I moved to one of the seats and sat down. I curled my knees up like I normally would, setting my arms on top of them.

"Ask away," I let out quietly, seeing the questions on their faces.

"Are you still having panic attacks? Have you been sleeping alright? Have you been eating? Are you okay? Is there anything we can do?" Rose started rambling out her questions.

"Seesh, one at a time," I tried to joke out.

"We're just worried, Isabella," James added, sitting next to me.

"I know, and I'll answer all of the questions, just one at a time."

"Okay, so first one. Panic attacks?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, more than I used to, but not everyday or anything, mainly just when Harry is around," I replied quietly, trying to keep other people out of our conversation.

"That makes sense," James replied, "But how have you been sleeping? I know you were having nightmares over break, have those gone away?"

"Worse, James, they came true," I said softly, "But I still haven't been sleeping well anyway, mainly staying up to do three pieces of homework for each class."

"And have you been eat…?"

"Show me your wrist," Albus interrupted curtly, "And no Rose, she hasn't been eating."

"Albus you don't want to see my wrist, and Rose I was eating one meal a day," I replied trailing off, trying to change the subject, "If I ate more, Harry, would hurt me. He threatened me, made me wear this necklace again, and told me he would tell my mom I had lost it if I didn't do as he said."

I took off the necklace, setting it on the table next to me. I watched as Albus got up and made his way over to me, I watched his eyes, trying to get a read on what he was feeling. I knew whatever it was, that it wasn't good. He reached me and held out his hand, harshly saying, "Give me your wrist."

"Al, please, this isn't like you," I said, adjusting my sweater beneath my robe. I saw the look in his eyes, it wasn't a comforting look. I looked over to James who was starting to get up, realizing the hostility of the situation.

I let out a small squeal in pain as Albus roughly grasped onto my left hand, turning it over and pulling up my sleeve. I looked to his eyes, seeing the hurt and hatred leave to find the same old compassion and empathy that used to be there. He had revealed the wrist that he had grabbed onto three months ago, the one that had four months of terror etched into it. Tears welled into my eyes, as I attempted to keep them from falling.

Albus let my hand fall, and I covered it back up, wincing a bit. Albus slowly made his way back to where he had been sitting, and he just looked at me. I watched as everything clicked in his mind, why I had always been wearing longer sleeves, why I wouldn't let him see my wrist, why I had winced when he had grabbed my wrist earlier in the year.

"Please, just please don't be mad at me," I said, tears beginning to fall down my cheeks.

"Why would we be mad at you?" Albus asked quietly.

"I don't know, maybe because I didn't go to any of you for help?" I asked unconvincingly.

"Wait, that's not from your brother?" Rose asked confused.

"No Rose, those marks aren't," James began, "I have a friend, well had a friend, um nevermind. Point is, those are from herself."

"Wait, Iz, why?" Rose asked in shock.

"It started out because I felt like I wasn't good enough to have friends like you guys, and then it became a punishment for pushing you all away. A punishment for not being there for you all," I said in a hushed tone.

"Why would you think you needed to punish yourself for the things I did?" Rose asked.

"I wouldn't tell you what was going on, so it was my fault."

"So this has only been going on for the time when you and Rose weren't friends right?" James asked, looking more worried than the other two.

I just shook my head, tears beginning to well up again. I curled up into a tighter ball, wishing that I wouldn't have to talk anymore. Wishing that I didn't have to let them in this far, but I wasn't going to burn that bridge again. Rose rushed to my side, enveloping me in a hug.

"None of this is your fault Iz," she said softly.

"Just one more question, the Al and I can get out of your hair," James began, "How long then?"

"A little more than a year and a half on and off," I responded, "this relapse started four months ago. I was going pretty strong until then."

"Well we're here for you, so talk to one of us next time you feel like doing anything," James said softly, motioning to Albus that it was time to go.

"We'll catch up with you two later," Rose said, holding her hand out for me to grab it, "For now we're heading up to our room, we're going to work on some homework."

I nodded at them, grabbing onto Rose's hand, and followed her to our dormitory. She pulled me in, closing the door after her. She walked over to my bed, and motioned for me to lie down.

"We're going to do what we did over the break, okay? Josie and Lyla have class for the next hour still, so we're going to get you patched up enough so you won't have to use charms," Rose said, explaining what we were going to do.

"Yeah, okay," I said, quietly. I undressed, and then I layed back down. I waved my wand over my body, taking off the charms I had placed on it. I had a black eye that was looking yellow and bruising all over the left side of my face, with what looked like a nose that had been recently healed so there was still bruising on the ridge. I had excessive bruising on my chest, leaving Rose more worried than before. My right arm looked messed up and it looked as if I had handprints all over my arms from being grabbed roughly.

"I need to go get Victoire, I'll be right back," Rose said quickly, closing the curtains around my bed, taking off for the fifth year girl's dormitories. I laid there for a few minutes, waiting for them. From what I knew Victoire was studying to become a healer of sorts, supposedly she wanted to take over for Madame Pomfrey at Hogwarts, once she retired.

"You can't tell anyone Victoire, not even family," Rose said from outside the curtain.

"Trust me my dear cousin," I heard Victoire begin, a hint of accent in her speech, "I know all about not telling family. Plus I owe you and your friend for over the break."

"That's right, you do, so we need you to help heal her so that she doesn't have to walk around with charms covering her appearance," Rose said, drawing back the curtains to reveal me.

"Nice to see you again Victoire," I said, straining a smile.

"Mon Dieu," Victoire let out in French, "What happened?"

"Stuff," Rose said, trying to cover for me.

"Rose?" Victoire asked in a tense tone.

Rose just looked at me and stayed silent, not wanting to betray my friendship by telling my secret. Victoire looked back and forth from Rose to me, waiting for an answer. When she didn't receive one she crossed her arms, making it clear that she wouldn't help until one of us told her what was going on.

"I can't really tell…"

"It's okay Rose," I interrupted, slowly sitting up, "Victoire, my brother is, well, violent and extremely rude. If I don't have a solid group of people helping me through life, then I end up looking like this, or worse."

"Wait, over the holidays," Victoire began, "When you were limping and using crutches… That wasn't because of…"

"Yes, it was," Rose said quietly.

"That's horrible!" Victoire spurned, "No sibling would do something like that."

"Well, mine does, and I don't know why," I let out, with a small laugh, "But, none of that matters right now. I just need some help taking care of the aftermath. And you can't tell anyone, as Rose told you."

"Why would you hide this?" Victoire asked quietly, adding, "Lay back slowly Isabella."

"What better reason than more threats?" I responded, laying back so she could begin to heal my cuts and bruises. I decided to close my eyes because I was still very tired, and I needed sleep.

"That's just messed up," Victoire stated, pausing as she reached my wrist. She looked to Rose quickly, who just shook her head. She kept healing, using a few different spells and mixing a few different potions for me to drink, two for right now and one for when I went to sleep.

"Sit up Iz," Rose said, handing me two of the vials, "Drink these and then get dressed."

"Will do," I replied, standing up slowly, still feeling a good amount of pain, "And Victoire? Thanks."

"You aren't going to need to use charms anymore," Victoire started, "But you will still feel some of the pain, most of it should be gone by tomorrow though."

"You're going to be a bloody fantastic healer once you leave Hogwarts Victoire," Rose said, grinning widely.

"Thanks Rose, and Isabella?" She looked towards me, seeing I was now dressed, "You should probably get some extra sleep before dinner."

"I'll gladly do that," I smiled, laying back down on my bed.

"I'll be back to get you for dinner," Rose said, drawing the curtains shut on my bed.

"Thanks again Victoire," I heard Rose say as they walked out.

"What else is family for?" Victoire replied, closing the door to the dormitory behind them.

I curled up to go to sleep, and smiled for the first time in awhile. I had finally had another good day, even if it was mixed in with weird and confusing instances.