Sorry for the delay. Thank you for your patience and for your reviews. I know this chapter isn't long but I couldn't keep delaying. I hope you enjoy

Chapter 12

In Her Time of Need

Rhian jerked awake suddenly and sat up in bed. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead. Emerald eyes focused and looked around the dorm room warily. With a sigh Rhian plopped back against her pillow and closed her eyes wearily.

"Why me…" she whispered. She rubbed at her eyes sleepily.

Red snake-like eyes slowly faded from her mind, the haunting inhuman voice echoing in her memory. For the third time Rhian woke up from nightmares replaying that night in the Forbidden Forest.

For long moments the young Gryffindor lay in her bed staring up at the burgundy canopy. With a soft sigh Rhian sat up once more and peered through the curtains around her bed. The large clock on the wall near the door read five-thirty in the morning and she knew she wouldn't be getting anymore sleep. The raven haired girl swung her feet out of bed and got up. Gathering her robes for the day Rhian disappeared into the bathroom to shower.

She was just reading the last page of the chapter of her book when Harry and Ron sluggishly came down the stairs and into the common room.

"Morning Rhi…an." Ron said stifling a yawn. He plopped down on the couch beside her while Harry leaned against the chair.

Rhian smirked and looked up at the boys. "Mornin'" she said and closed her book just as Hermione came down the stairs.

"You were up early Rhian." Hermione said. There was a hint of concern in her voice.

Rhian waved it away like an annoying fly. "Woke up and couldn't get back to sleep." She said. She stood up and shouldered her bag. "Let's get to breakfast I'm starving." She brushed past them and went out the portrait hole.

A few moments later Ron shot passed her. "Ronald Bilius Weasley you get back here." Hermione yelled as she too ran past after the fleeing red head.

"What the...?" she said as Harry came to walk beside her.

Harry just shrugged. "Think Ron took her book that she was reading." He turned to glance at her. "Are you ok Rhian?" He said. Concern was evident in his voice.

"What do you mean?" She said keeping her eyes forward. Rhian dreaded where this question was heading.

Her brother's hand took hold of her arm stopping her. "You look tired Rhian, and you haven't been eating much." Harry said. "What's going on? You can tell me you know."

"I know." Rhian said. She debated on whether to tell him or not. He would probably go to Dad she thought miserably. "It's nothing. I'm just staying up late studying is all, nothing to worry about Harry." She said. Hoping she sounded reassuring.

Harry looked skeptical but didn't push it. They had just arrived at the Great Hall where Hermione and Ron were bickering. "Come on guys, please!" Harry exclaimed.

Rhian just shook her head and entered the hall where she plopped down at the Gryffindor table with a sigh.

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"Do you add the armadillo spleen before or after the lizard tongue…" Ron whispered worriedly. Unfortunately he didn't get a response. Beside him Rhian wore a dazed expression on her face as she stared off into space. "Rhian…" Ron nudged her in the side.

Roused out of her state Rhian gasped in surprise. "What?!" She said, her voice breaking the relative silence of the potions classroom.

Up front Professor Snape looked up from the papers he was grading to glare in their direction. Rhian blushed and turned her eyes to the table.

"Does the armadillo spleen get added before or after the lizard tongue?" Ron said again.

Rhian mentally kicked herself for spacing out. "After Ron" she said.

"Are you sure you're ok? That's the third time you've gone off in lala land." Ron said. Concern was now evident in his voice.

Harry and Hermione at the table next to them frequently glanced towards them worriedly. Keep it together Rhian berated herself.

Rhian glared at him. "I'm fine." She whispered.

"You should now have added all of your ingredients." Professor Snape's silky voice cut through the tense silence. He stalked down the rows to check the potions. "They will need to sit for two days before the next step. Write a five foot essay on what you have done and discuss what might have gone wrong. You are dismissed."

Rhian sighed with relief and started to pack her things. "Miss Snape remain behind." Her father's voice said over the din of the other students who were eagerly exiting the potion's classroom.

"Would you like us to wait?" Harry said as he came to stand next to her.

Rhian shook her head. "I'll catch up to you later." She said. "It's probably nothing." She added almost as an afterthought.

After they left Rhian turned to face the front of the room. Her father was wiping away the potions instructions on the board. A few moments later he turned to face her crossing his arms and staring down at her sternly.

She knew he was displeased with her inability to focus and she knew he would most likely reprimand her for it.

"May I inquire as to why you had the attention span of a flobberworm?" He asked.

Thinking about a nightmare. She thought. Rhian shrugged and hoped that he would take the lie.

Snape glared. "A shrug is not an answer young lady. I want a verbal answer."

"It's nothing sir." Rhian said. He wasn't going to believe her she knew it.

A sigh escaped his lips as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I do not have time for mind games Rhiannon."

"I was just tired." Rhian said. "It won't happen again."

Dark eyes bore into her. "Sleep deprivation is not nothing child."

If this went any further Rhian knew her father would find out and then the man would become overprotective. "I can handle it dad. I should go I don't want to be late for class." She grabbed her bag. "May I go?"

Snape nodded tiredly. "Very well, but this isn't over."

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Rhian met up with the others who were waiting at the end of the corridor for her. "What did he want?" Harry said curiously.

"Just wanted to know why I wasn't paying attention." She said dismissively.

Hermione glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow. "And what was distracting you today?"

Rhian shrugged. "We need to get to class." She said.

The others didn't miss the sudden change of subject. The three friends looked at one another silently agreeing to watch over their friend in her time of need.