Dreaming in Color

Chapter 11

Lauren awoke after a blissful night of no haunting nightmares plaguing her dreams. Though, this would be the last night of peace for her as Snape had made it crystal clear that he would not be giving her any more of the Dreamless Sleep potion.

Lauren rubbed at her face and glanced around, noting that the other girls were still asleep. She lay there for a few minutes, an unnatural calmness enveloping her. Deciding to get up, Lauren made her way to the bathroom and washed her face. She grimaced when she caught sight of her pale, pinched features reflecting back at her in the mirror.

You've reached a turning point now, Lauren. Time to buck up and show some of that backbone you're famous for, she mentally lectured herself. She drew in a deep breath and straightened, feeling her renewed resolve settle deep within her, fusing to her very core.

Teeth and hair brushed, Lauren padded back into the bedroom and dressed methodically for the day. Glancing at the clock on her bedside table, she sighed when she realized that she still had an hour yet until the others rose for the day.

Lauren made her way to one of the windows and leaned her shoulder against the pane, her resting her forehead against the cool glass as she stared into the green tinged waters sloshing gently against the glass.

I am now a witch. This is my world. For good or bad, I must now embrace it.

Lauren glanced over her shoulder at her sleeping roommates, feeling a tinge of envy at their untainted and blissful slumber.

They are not aware of the horrors lurking in the world. They have been protected and shielded, basking in the joyful ignorance of youth. But that will all change in a few years...

Her thoughts drifted to the Sorting Hats and the words it had spoken to her.

She had been brought here to help Severus. Maybe not right now, but most assuredly in the coming future.

But how do I do that without drastically changing things? she pondered. If I change but one single event, it could have a rippling effect and alter the outcome of the War to come. And probably for the worse.

Dumbledore had forewarned her about revealing details of future events and Lauren understood why. But she also recognized that she didn't have the wisdom, nor the savvy, to get through the next seven years without royally fucking something up. She was going to need help, this much she knew.

But who could help her? It would be unwise to place this knowledge in Snape's hands, even though she trusted him unequivocally. If Voldemort, when he returned to power, managed to extract this information from him, either through torture or Legilimency, then it was literally game over.

That left Dumbledore.

Lauren worried at her bottom lip. Dumbledore was the logical one to go to. But it didn't mean he would be agreeable with her dumping this fountain of knowledge on him. But she had to at least try.

Lauren decided she would seek him out later on that week. He did, after all, have some important news to share with her, or so he claimed. She now had the perfect excuse now to pay him a visit.

The girls began to stir, shuffling out of bed all bleary-eyed and rumpled-haired. There was a momentary pause when they registered that Lauren was back, and she could not ignore the uncomfortable silence that descended upon the room as they cautiously prepared for the school day. Surreptitious glances were being cast in her direction, nearly bordering on mistrust.

"If you've got something to say, spit it out already!" Lauren finally snapped as she retrieved her school robes from the interior of her wardrobe.

All movement ceased and she turned to face them, a defiant glare plastered on her face as she eyed each of them, challenging them.