The Dream & the Pensive

Before Hermione even stirred, Siria was awake and in the Great Hall for breakfast. Though, it was more an act of moving food around a plate than actually eating breakfast. She finished before Hermione or Ron made it down, and headed to the library. Madam Pince's eyes mirrored the horntail's as Siria glanced over the shelves. The library had a much smaller collection than the Room of Requirement. While there was book on European schools of magic, that was it. She picked up an order form from Madam Pince and headed out for Herbology.

"Potter-Black!" Lily Moon called. She was headed to Herbology with Susan Bones. "Hermione was looking for you," Lily ushered Susan along to catch up with Siria. "You look… great!" Lily nodded to Susan who clearly didn't want to lie, so she nodded. "Your hair's always got this really great shine to it." Lily forced a smile and looked from Siria to Susan then back.

"Lily," Siria uttered.

"Yes?" Lily exclaimed as she tensed up.

"If you were dying, what would you?" Siria asked. Lily turned to Susan, jaw dropped.

"I'd… cut all ties," Susan confessed. "It might be hard, but it might make it easier for my family." Siria nodded and pushed open the door to the greenhouse.

"Thanks." She waved to them and took her usual spot.

"Where were you?" Hermione asked. "You were almost late." Siria shrugged in reply.

"I snuck you some toast," Ron unwrapped four pieces of toast with butter and jam from a stolen napkin.

"I ate," Siria told them and pulled her hair back as Professor Sprout greeted them. She spent the rest of the lesson wondering how she could get Hermione and Ron to cut their ties. Maybe she could just tell them, but Siria shook the idea from her mind. There was no way that her best friends would let her die alone.

"Hippalectryon!" Hagrid applauded the strange creature that was tied behind the paddock. Ron and Siria looked to each other and laughed. Siria stopped almost immediately and stared at the Hippalectryon. It was a one-legged, giant rooster with the head of a horse. For as beautiful as its shining rainbow feathers were, the way it hopped on its leg made Siria smirk, no matter how much she tried to keep a straight face.

"What's up with you today?" Ron asked as they headed back to the castle. Siria shrugged.

"You did get back awfully late," Hermione noted, "and you were gone so early. You may just be tired."

"Should ditch Trelawny's then," Ron nodded as they sat. Siria shrugged again. She could at least try.

"Maybe," She nodded.

"Oh," Hermione winced at Siria's voice. "You might be sick— you sound really gravely. No wonder you've been quiet." Siria nodded and pressed her lips into a tight smile. She rolled a pea around her plate for most of lunch and headed to the Hospital Wing.

"Potter-Black?" Madam Pomfrey asked. She clicked her tongue twice, but let Siria in to rest. "I can't very well give you a Pepperup and send you into an oven, so you can rest this time." She flicked her wand and the windows and curtains closed. "I'll brew up something for your throat; just cast a little light, if you need me," she told Siria and excused herself to the office. Siria didn't really think she was tired, but supposed it couldn't hurt. She thought wrong. Fatigue washed over her and wiped out not only her drowning worry, but her consciousness.

[Book: B4, 576-577 Siria dreams of riding an eagle owl, which delivers a letter to a large snake, Wormtail, and a figure in a chair. She learns that Wormtail's "blunder" has not ruined everything because "he is dead", so Nagini will not be eating Wormtail, but she'll still be eating Siria. Voldemort uses Crucio, which fills Siria's scar and causes her to wake, screaming]

"Siria!" Madam Pomfrey had Siria's shoulders pinned to the bed. She sighed and sat when Siria sat up. "You were clutching your scar," she told Siria. Siria pulled her knees to her chest and pressed her forehead to them.

"I need to see Dumbledore," she growled.

"A nightmare, then?" Madam Pomfrey nodded and wrote out a note. She handed it to Siria. "Cockroach Cluster, don't know why, but it is." Siria rocked as she nodded and looked around the Wing. "Come back after you speak with him. The Potion'll be done in twenty minutes or so." Siria rocked again and got to her feet. She slid her shoes back on and went to Dumbledore's office.

[Book: B4 579-599 Siria eavesdrops on Fudge, Dumbledore and Moody, who are talking about what could have happened to Mr. Crouch. They leave her in the office, where she sees and enters the pensive. In there she sees Karkaroff, who tries to sell out other Death Eaters to get off; he tries Snape, but Dumbledore defends him. Karkaroff turns in Bellatrix Lestrange, who is not named, & Barty Crouch Jr. They & their 2 companions are sent to Azkaban for torturing the Longbottoms. The current Dumbledore returns to his office and removes Siria from the Pensive, which he explains is used to store memories for future viewing and viewing old memories. He shows her Bertha Jorkins then asks why she came to the office.]

Siria sighed and clasped her fingers. "I had…" her voice scraped against her throat; it was raw from her screams and would only get worse. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and took a slow, steady breath. She raised her head, straightened her shoulders and focused on Dumbledore's forehead. "I had another 'nightmare'," Siria struggled to keep her expression flat. Her hands trembled in her grasp. They wanted to break things… she wanted to break things. Siria took another slow steady breath, and explained the dream.

"Has your scar hurt at any other point this year, besides this summer when you had a similar nightmare?" Dumbledore asked (B4, 600). He leaned over the pensive and took his wand to and from it and his temple.

"No," she dug her nails into her hands and forced a smile. "Do you have any other questions for me, Headmaster?"

"I do not, but do you have any for me?" He asked. Dumbledore tilted his head to view Siria over the rims of his half moon spectacles. Siria kept herself as tall as she could.

"No. I'd imagine these 'nightmares' are because I'm a Horcrux," the "x" seemed to get smashed on its way out because her throat dried at the word. She gave the slightest bob of her head as a nod, to herself more than him.

[Book: B4, 600-604 Dumbledore provides his suspicious that the scar connects Siria & Voldemort and that he's getting stronger because there are disappearances, as they were during his rise to power: Bertha Jorkins, Crouch, & a Muggle named Frank Bryce (who is from the summer nightmare). The image on the pensive turns to Snape, who Dumbledore tells Siria has not been accused of any Dark Arts since then & that the reason Dumbledore trusts Snape is between the two of them]

Siria nodded. "Sounds right," her hoarse voice growled. "Thanks, Headmaster," and she turned to the door.

"Siria, there is one more thing you may want to think on," said Dumbledore. Her hand paused on the door. "Perhaps, before burning bridges, you may want to give your loved ones a choice." Siria scoffed.

"Thanks," and slammed the door behind her.