A Second Soul

Chapter 9~in which~Dreams Become Nightmares

After another awkward meal in the Great Hall, the boys were headed back to their new dorm. 

"How long do you think it will take for them to stop staring at us every time we sit down to eat?" Severus asked, exhausted by a day of whispers and hidden laughs.

"I'm not really sure Sev, probably not long. We just have to wait til someone does something idiotic or embarrassing to take the attention off us." At least Evan hoped he was right.

~*~

Back in their own rooms, the boys wished each other a good night and readied themselves for bed.

Harry fell deeply into unconsciousness as soon as his head hit the pillow. His shimmering amber bed sheets began to twist around his legs as his dreams turned from warm and welcome to twisted and dark. 

He was with his friends. Ron was eating (as always) and Hermione sat with a cuppa behind a book on Arithmancy. Things felt wonderfully normal as Harry reviewed his quidditch plays for the next match. Suddenly, the teacup shattered on the floor, Hermione's arm limp and the book covering her face. Ron and Harry jumped immediately from their seats to rush to her aid. Harry is horrified as he lifts the book only to see the same horrific wound at her neck as he had seen upon Snape. Nagini had gotten to her. 

"This is your fault you know, you left us."

Harry looked up at Ron as he fell backwards, to the ground. Suddenly blood began dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"You left us Harry. You left us to Voldemort and now we're dead."

From all sides Harry hears the cackling of a mad man, the man who killed his friends when he couldn't be there to protect them.

~*~

Severus sat atop deep molten gray sheets that appeared to be made of silk. He was reading a potions book on experimental medical treatments for muggle afflictions in an attempt to stop his mind from racing. After about an hour of reading, he finally managed to fall into a light and fitful sleep.

Severus Snape had been having the same recurring nightmare for years. He knew what was to come and, though he could not say he enjoyed this eternal torment, he had accepted that this was how it would be. As his father stumbled toward him, whiskey bottle in hand, he braced himself for the inevitable. But it never came. Suddenly he heard a pained scream. 

Opening his eyes to a dim room, Severus removed the potions book digging into his side and looked around,  disoriented. When he realized he could still hear the screaming, he cast Lumos and quickly ran out of his room, wand in hand. 

~*~

Harry didn't know how long he had been on the floor for, the pain pounding in his veins was like pure liquid fire. His skin felt like it was peeling away from his scar, slowly spreading towards the rest of his face. He glanced at the horrific smile on Voldemort's face as he curled in on himself, not even attempting to fight. He deserved this, he thought as he locked his gaze with Ron's lifeless eyes.

"Evan!"

Harry tried to open his eyes but the blinding pain in his forehead would no longer allow him to.

"Evan, wake up!"

Suddenly, his entire body was cool except for the scar on his forehead which still pounded with fire but was much less painful than it had been seconds before. Evan sat up, drenched in the water that had spilled form Severus' wand.

"I'm sorry" Severus said, "I didn't know what else to do."

Harry squinted in confusion at the dark figure. The lights were dim in his room and he still felt disoriented from his dream. 

"Evan?" Severus was concerned for his new friend, what had happened?

Harry reached for his wand, "Lumos Maxima!"

Suddenly the room was filled with light, both boys locked in a silent stare.

"I'm sorry."  Evan was finally becoming aware of his surroundings. 

"You're bleeding!" Severus rushed over to Evan, seeing the blood seeping down the boy's face.

Evan reached up to his scar and pulled his hand away to find that there was in fact blood dripping from his forehead, hot and sticky and sickeningly familiar to him. 

"I have to go see the headmaster." Evan stood up, dizzy and shivering. As he walked toward the door, he stumbled and Severus grabbed onto him.

"Why are you bleeding and what does your uncle have to do with all of this?" Severus asked, his grip firm but gentle on Harry's forearm. He was clearly anxious and concerned for the well-being of his only housemate, but there was also distrust in his eyes.

"I'm not sure, but...Uncle Albus is a very powerful wizard with a lot of knowledge. I just need to talk to him." Harry didn't like lying to Severus, but he was just as confused about the night's events as his new friend. He had no idea how to explain what had happened. The part of Voldemort that had lived within him for most of his life was gone, right? That's how he had landed himself into his current predicament. So then why did it appear he was still connected to him in some way?

As it appeared Evan did not have the strength to safely make it to the headmaster's quarters on his own, Severus dried the boy off with a flick of his wand and helped Evan stumble through the halls of Hogwarts. The silence was charged with questions, you could feel it in the air surrounding him, yet Evan had to admit he wasn't uncomfortable with Sev's arm around his waist to help stabilize him. Why this was, he was unsure. He was unsure about a lot of things going on in his life right now. Could you really blame him?

~*~

The boys made it to the gargoyle statue fairly unscathed, though a run-in with Peeves had them both in a sour mood. Both boys were drenched from head to toe in pumpkin juice; it appeared Peeves had raided the kitchens before he found the duo travelling through the halls. 

"Password?" A deep rough voice emerged from the gargoyle.

"Umm... lemon drops?" Harry tried the first thing that came to mind.

"No." The statue appeared uninterested and dismissive.

"Licorice snaps?"

"No."

"Treacle tart."

"No."

"Look," Harry was trying to keep his temper in check, "I need to speak with the headmaster immediately."

"Then you need to provide me with the password." 

Evan was envisioning breaking the stone beast to pieces when Severus began speaking.

"Please inform Headmaster Dumbledore that his nephew is here to speak with him about a highly imperative matter."

Though he sniffed indignantly, the beast closed his eyes, presumably contacting the headmaster. After a few short seconds, the brooding gargoyle allowed them passage to the office in silence.

"Ah, nephew," Dumbledore approached the boys in a welcoming manner, a curious twinkle in his eyes as he gazed upon the young men in front of him. "What can I do for you and young Severus here?"

~*~