Child of Fire and Night

Chapter 11

**Sorry for being unable to update in so long. I've been slammed with work. More chapters to come in the next few weeks.**

A sharp knocking woke me, and I sat up, pulling the blanket up with me. Snape was no longer in bed with me and I looked around the room. "Severus?"

He had put his pants back on and was quickly pulling his robes over his bare chest.

The knock came again and I looked at it concerned. Snape put his fingers to his lips. "Stay there and don't make a sound." He said quietly, pointing his wand at the bed.

The curtains on his four-poster fell away from their posts and blocked my view of the door just before he opened it. "Minerva. Is there something you need?"

"Have you seen Miss Phoenix? I've been looking for her, but can't seem to find her. I'd like to know what extra-curricular classes she'd like to take so I can finish her class schedule."

"I haven't seen her since I evaluated her potion making skills. She's probably finding her way around the castle and its surroundings." He replied coolly.

"Ah. I see. I hope she doesn't wander into the Forbidden Forest." There was a pause. "How are her potions skills? Not lacking I hope. The documents Igor Karkaroff sent over showed she had top scores in many subjects. So far she seems to be exceeding my expectations. I wonder if she's had the same effect on you as well?"

Snape coughed. "Her skills are quite ... exemplary. I believe she will excel in her class with me."

"Excellent. If you see Miss Phoenix, please tell her to come and see me. Oh," She paused again and the door creaked on it's hinges. "If you see her before I do, would you also let her know that if the meals being sent to her room are unappealing, we can have the house elves make her something different. They informed me not long ago that both her breakfast and lunch dishes came back to them untouched. I hope she's not so nervous being here that she can't eat."

"I'll speak with her if I see her before tomorrow." He said. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things I need finish up before dinner."

"Yes. Of course. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Severus." The door closed slowly and finally clicked into place.

He sighed and I pulled the curtains back slowly, still holding the blanket against my chest.

"That was nerve wracking." I looked up at him with a small smile.

He stared back at me, his brows creasing together in a frown. "Why aren't you eating?"

"Breakfast looked greasy and bland. The only thing that looked remotely refreshing was the orange juice." I shrugged then smiled coyly at him. "As for lunch, well ... I had you didn't I?"

Sighing, he sat on the bed next to me. "I didn't know you hadn't eaten lunch."

I rolled my eyes at him. "What does it matter if I ate or not yet today?" Letting the blanket fall away from me, I got off the bed and grabbed my underwear off the nightstand.

"I got a letter from your uncle in response to the one I sent him last night letting him know which House you had been sorted into."

I could feel him watching me as I got dressed. "And?"

"He seemed surprised you were sorted into Gryffindor. I suppose his assumption had been the same as mine and that you would be sorted into Slytherin. As much as Igor doesn't like me, he trusts me more than anyone else here including Dumbledore. He asked me to look after you even though you had been sorted into a different House."