CHAPTER ELEVEN
The dream starts as it always does.
He's in the forest, at a forked road, and he's looking towards the lake. A crescent moon glints through the thick canopy – smiling, almost.
He takes a deep breath, cold air filling his lungs, and looks left. Towards the shadows.
Maybe this time. Maybe this time, he'll take the other path.
So he does.
For a while, the earth is smooth and easy to tread. Then the roots start to appear. They're small and easy to step over, at first, but soon they grow large enough that he has to start climbing over them, muscles aching.
It isn't until his lungs start to burn and his legs start to ache that he stops.
It isn't until he stops that he realizes he's awake.
And everything is silent.
He doesn't explore the forest. Not often – and certainly not without company. But even he knows that complete silence can only be associated with danger.
His heart slams against his rib cage, questions rushing through his mind a thousand miles-per-minute. Had he been sleepwalking this entire time? Had no one noticed?
He takes a step back without meaning to and jumps when a twig snaps underfoot. The shadows in front of him shift; they harden almost, taking the shape of something massive and cruel.
There's a hissing sound. A laugh, almost.
Run, he thinks.
His body doesn't listen. It doesn't even budge.
The shift is minimal. He can't even register it, visually. The shadows tilt their head. Take a step forward.
Run, he tells himself again, RUN!
Finally, his body listens. He turns and shifts and flees just in time to feel the brush of air against his back where claws should've been. He's a fast runner, naturally, but he's barely fast enough to outpace the thing chasing him – and his fear makes him clumsy.
The trees are only just beginning to thin when he trips over a cluster of roots onto the ground. The steps behind him are light. Playful. Whatever it is, it's toying with him, making a game out of the chase.
He scrambles to find his footing, to reach the edge of the forest, but he's not going to, even if – even if -
Something large and impossibly white charges past him. The shadows roar, furious, and Icarus doesn't even look back as he careens through the trees and out of the forest onto moonlit grounds.
He keeps running, beyond exhaustion, to the closest entrance – shifts back to slam through the doors and pound up the stairs, towards the faculty tower. He's almost halfway there before he rounds a corner and slams into something large and dark.
A cry rips itself from his lips before he can stop it.
"Mr. Sørensen?"
He's scrambling away – he has to find someone – some other -
"Mr. Sørensen," Professor Karim says, the corridor blooming suddenly with light as he takes a firm, but gentle hold of Icarus' arm, "what-"
"Prof-" he tries, "pro – there's some-"
"Icarus," Professor Karim says, worried, "Icarus, breathe."
He can't. His lungs strain, but his throat closes around any attempt to gather air. Faintly, he's aware he might be in the middle of a panic attack.
Professor Karim mutters something and a blast of light shoots out from the end of his wand and soars down the corridor. A moment later, Icarus is sitting against the cool stone wall, head between his knees.
He doesn't even notice that they have company until they speak.
"What happened?"
"I don't know," Professor Karim says, "I found him like this."
"Icarus," Severus says, the air shifting as he kneels to join him, "drink. It'll help."
Slowly, Icarus manages to unravel enough to take the flask with a shaky hand and downs the calming drought. Then, once his heart manages to slow to a reasonable pace and his breathing evens out, he speaks.
"There's something in the forest," he croaks, "I don't – I'm not sure what it is. I didn't...I didn't sneak out. I think I was sleepwalking."
Severus and Professor Karim exchange a glance. Then, without a word, Professor Karim turns on his heel and sprints down the corridor.
The minute he's gone, Severus drops his glamor.
"You were sleepwalking?"
"Yeah," Icarus says, "but it's never happened before. At least, I don't think so. Nate would've noticed. He would've told me."
Severus studies him for a long moment, before nodding.
"What attacked you, exactly? Did you see it?"
"No. Not really. It was…like, a bunch of shadows just converged together? It's fast, too. I only got away because something came and fought it off."
"Ok," Severus breathes, looking paler than could possibly be healthy, "ok. I'm going to take you to the hospital wing, alright? I'll get Poppy to keep an eye on you and then I'll go help Manish search the forest."
"Manish?" Icarus asks, "You're on first name basis now?"
…
He pushes his magic away from him, through the earth, as far as possible and feels…nothing.
Well, nothing out of the ordinary.
The trees to the left of him rustle and he opens his eyes to find an antelope stepping through. It shifts smoothly into the form of Professor Karim, who frowns down at him, concerned.
"It's gone," Karim says, "again."
"Yeah," he pushes himself up onto his feet, "I didn't find anything either."
"We should tell -"
"Who? The headmaster?" he huffs, "We can't even find it."
"Hagrid, then," Karim says, "you said he's the one who goes in the forest most often. If he knows, then he could keep an eye out."
He feels his face twist.
It's such as simple solution, but...Hagrid…
"There's not much else we can do," Karim adds, sounding far too reasonable, "other than implementing more wards. It won't show itself until it feels like it."
"I know."
And he hates it.
"I'll look into it," Karim says, "see if I can find anything beyond your stupid records."
Why bother? He wants to say, You're leaving. Instead, he runs a hand across his face and turns to go back to the school.
He is so, so tired.