𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙

Daddy's here

"You know if you were talking about me you should try to hide it a little better next time" I said irritated by the fact they had completely dropped the conversation the moment they saw me approach to the gryffindor table for lunch.
The blood in my head pounded as I sat down making my vision blurry. Why is this headache not leaving me? Is he trying to shut me out again?
"We weren't..." Hermione tried to say but then realized there was no point in lying "Yes, we were talking about you... you seem to be somewhere else with your mind lately, Sue, we were just worried"
"I'm not... my mind is where it needs to be, focused on helping you train and on... studying" I was about to say Veritaserum but thinking about that made my head ache even more.
"Sue, you let me Stun you yesterday, I mean I can't be that good already... you were distracted" Harry said as if he knew I was lying but he couldn't know... right?
"Yeah well I have a lot of work..." I said.
"It can't be just work..." Hermione said.
"What... say whatever you gotta say because I haven't got time for this.." I said as I was starting to think we were back on the trust issues and they might have picked the right moment to make me lose my temper.
"I heard you in the girls' restroom... I was with Parvati, she asked to whoever seemed to be throwing up in one of the toilets if they were okay... it was your voice, you said yes but it's not-"
"Potter, I'm sorry to interrupt" said McGonagall and I probably had never been so happy to see her as in that very moment "The families of the Champions are here to have one last private meeting with you all" she said.
My head dangerously threatened to split in halves in the middle of the Great Hall but I clenched my jaw to try and resist because these last few days had taught me that the pain came in waves, it peeked and then it left me for a while just until the next wave. When it finally left I was able to shift back to reality and McGonagall had left. I can't keep doing this, no wonder they noticed... Zoning out like this...
"She doesn't expect the Dursleys to show up, does she?" Ron asked Harry.
"This is not the case, I'm sure" Harry said lazily getting up to go meet whoever claimed to be there for him.
"I have some research on magical bugging methods to do..." Hermione said "I'd ask you to help me sort the Skeeter mystery out but you don't seem well Sue"
"I'm okay... maybe I'll join you later" I said and she went to the library.
Harry had already left and that left me and Ron there alone.
"What is going on with you?" He asked. Not letting go, are you?
"I haven't been feeling well, it's true, you guys are right and I have been stupid to deny it but I still don't know what it is"
He leaned towards and whispered "what are you feeling?" He asked so anyone wishing to eavesdrop would have a hard time.
"I don't know, it's really weird, my head hurts a lot, all the time, I go to sleep and when I wake up it still hurts, I don't know what it's going on, I think it's related to legilimency but I don't know anything more" I said.
"I don't understand" He said looking concerned.
"Neither do I and it's happening inside my head. It's really frustrating, like someone is either trying to read me or... I don't know"
"Isn't there a way to figure out?" He said, he sounded a little judgmental even though I knew he didn't mean to.
My mind's a pretty crowded place, Ron.
"It's more complicated than it seems, for sure" I sighed.
"Sure, I would go mad too probably"
"If Hermione were here she'd probably say you already have trouble managing your own thoughts" I smiled lightly.
"But there's no need for you to replace her when she's not here, let me breathe"
We both laughed until Harry came in the Great Hall again followed by a ginger lady which Ron soon addressed as mom.
Well it makes sense.
I turned around to look at them and unexpectedly recognized someone.
"Hi, Sue... right?"
"Yes, hi Charlie" I said even though I wasn't keen on pretending I didn't remember his name.
"How do you know each other?" Ron asked looking very curious.
"Oh we met when we took the dragons here for the First task" he said, which really didn't explain anything "which, Harry, you passed flawlessly, very good job" he said shifting the focus on Harry who, unfortunately for him, wanted to know what level of acquaintance me and Charlie had maybe more than the rest of the group.
"What were you there for?"
"I was working with Snape, preparing potions for the first task and when accidentally Charlie got burnt by the horntail Filch came looking for Snape so we both went down to the forest and of course Snape made me apply the burnt healing paste on Charlie's shoulder." I explained and I saw him turning a little red "How's it going by the way?" I directly asked him so everyone turned to look at him.
"It's going... perfectly, like it never happened" he grinned.
"Thank you Sue for taking care of my boy then, you look like a very dear girl" Mrs Weasley said.
"No problem, that was my job, Mrs Weasley" I replied feeling rather embarrassed now as well as that sentence taken out of context really sounded weird.
Charlie raised his brows looking at me like he wanted to say 'that's what I was trying to avoid'. I shrugged in response, I didn't mind, their mother looked like a really sweet lady and it was lovely of her to come all the way to Hogwarts to cheer for Harry at the Tournament as he couldn't have his family.
"I should go now, I still have several things to do before the Tournament... It's been a pleasure meeting you Mrs Weasley" I smiled and shook her hand.
"Oh call me Molly, Ron and Harry's friends are my friends too" she said smiling at me and I smiled back and nodded.
"And Harry... You're ready, you can do this, I'll see you tonight right before the start okay?" I said and went in for a brief hug which he seemed to appreciate. I hurried out of the Great Hall as I was feeling another wave of pain approaching.
I tried to find a quiet place where I could sit down but the castle seemed twice as crowded than any other day before that.
My vision blurred again and I had to stop walking, I took a last turn in a dark hallway and leaned my back against the wall trying to stabilize my breathing, this time the pain seemed to be raising quicker and ever more intensely.
I bit down on my knuckles and held my breath trying to concentrate in finding out what was causing that pain. It couldn't be Severus, because even when we were still fighting our connection I had never felt such an excruciating pain and it made no sense that it could be his fault, he wouldn't have done that to me.
I felt my eyes burn because of the tears forming behind my closed eyelids.
"Miss Avery.... miss..." I heard a familiar voice calling my name and I made an effort to regain control over myself as I been diving to deep in my mind.
"S... Severus" I whispered almost inaudibly as I realized I didn't have the strength I was looking for.
"What is wrong?" He asked "don't close your eyes, look at me" he prayed stroking my face to make me come back.
I made one last effort to tell him"There's something wrong with me...".
"I'm taking you to the hospital wing" he said resolutely.
"This is not something madame Pomfrey can fix" I said before letting go and I lost consciousness.