An American Professor

A few days after their pact, life had returned to normal, or at least as normal as it could be given Harry’s kidnapping. The presence of the brilliant green eyed, unruly black haired Gryffindor was sorely missed. Worry shrouded the school, but classes went on as usual. Ginny was out of the Hospital Wing, but that seemed of little consequence. Her face was unusually pale and drawn, and she walked heavily without the usual spring in her step.

The witty banter was absent at the Gryffindor table at meals. Ron and Hermione, and even the Weasley twins sat silently through meals. Gone were the easy jokes and quiet snickers and sometimes raucous laughter. The air was strained and subdued.

In order to escape the heavy atmosphere, at least for a few minutes, Erin planned to run that evening. She changed into her running clothes and went outside. Heading down to the Quidditch Pitch, she almost changed her mind about a run and headed back to the castle. The wind had started to blow and it was starting to rain. The rain was solid, but it was not quite hail, and it stung her face. Ah, so this is sleet, she realized just before she was distracted by barking coming from the Dark Forest.

Erin took off running as fast as she could towards the direction of the sound. It was difficult for her to pinpoint the sound as the wind was distorting it. She kept slipping on the ice on the ground, and had to slow down and concentrate of the sound. A flash of metal caught her attention, and she ran full force again at the object.

They were Harry’s glasses, attached to, “Harry!” Erin reached his side as the black dog began to run the other way. “No! Wait! Come back!” But the dog vanished in the bushes. Erin focused her attention on Harry who was unconscious. “Harry wake up!” He didn’t respond, and Erin desperately tried to remember the spell for levitation. Unfortunately, she was too panicked to remember anything.

So she put her arms under Harry’s and began to drag him to Hagrid’s hut. Damn kid weighs a ton! “Hagrid! Hagrid, help!” She screamed, but the wind tore her voice from her. She finally was about a hundred feet from Hagrid’s cabin when she laid Harry down and sprinted to Hagrid’s door, beating upon it. Hagrid answered looking very confused.

“Erin?” he asked, but she turned and ran back to Harry. “Oh!” Needing no further prompting he too was by Harry’s side in a few strides and, lifting him gently, began to carry him to the castle.

Erin could hardly keep up with his enormous strides and had fallen a few yards behind when Hagrid entered the castle. She reached the steps and was about to step onto the first one when a menacing voice cried, “Crucio!”

A million knives seemed to be stabbing her from the inside out. It felt as if the knives were piercing her body as a way to escape. She heard herself scream, but it seemed to be coming from some other place. As she was praying for death as a means to escape the excruciating pain, it stopped. Erin blinked and tried to focused her eyes.

She was lying on the floor inside the castle foyer. After a few more blinks she saw Fred and George kneeling beside her. “Erin, are you ok? George and I heard you scream.”

“How did I? How did I?” Why couldn't she form an entire sentence?

“Get here? Fred stunned the Death Eater that was cursing you, and I pulled you inside.” George explained gently.

The click-clack of annoyed footsteps was upon them almost immediately, “Boys! What’s going on here? Who’s been screaming?”

“Professor Snape, it’s Professor Worhli.”

At the sight of Erin, his mask of annoyance and disdain dropped, and he ran to her side. Dropping to his knees beside her he took her hand, “Oh, God, Erin! What happened?” he demanded of the twins.

“We heard her scream. A Death Eater had the cruciatus on her.” George explained.

“Erin, is this true?”

“I don’t- I can’t- I think so. Harry-” Snape pulled her gently into his arms and she tried to put her arms around his neck, but couldn’t. “Why?” she asked, but Snape ignored the question. She desperately wanted to ask him why she wasn't able to form actual sentences, and why her arms felt as if they had concrete blocks tied to them. Just trying to comprehend what was going on around her was making it hard to think.

“Ssh, hold still. You’re not that heavy.”

“Are you?” she tried to ask if he was really Snape, realizing as she asked that she wouldn't be able to defend herself if he was not, but couldn’t finish the question. Luckily, this time he understood.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, yes, Erin, it’s me. E.T.” he said quickly and quietly as he hurried down the hallway.

She sighed and relaxed in his arms too tired to offer an opinion on anything. When they had reached the Hospital Wing Hagrid rushed to them, “What happen’d? She was right behin’ me, and then she weren’t”

“Hagrid, calm down,” Severus said as he lay Erin down in a bed gently.

“Severus, why-” she couldn’t finish. She had to know why she was so tired and why her body felt as if it were made of lead.

“Lie still, Erin, and I’ll explain to you both. You were hit with the cruciatus curse. It makes every muscle in the body spasm and generally exhausts the victim almost completely. It's worse on a witch or wizard that is not used to defending themselves from curses. That’s why you can’t move right now, so quit trying.”

Hagrid had gone white and was pacing. Erin mustered her strength to ask, “Harry?”

“Why do you keep asking about Harry? Be still.” Severus insisted.

“She’s askin’ ‘cause she found ‘im right afore she was cursed.”

“Oh! Where’s Harry?” Hagrid motioned to another bed, and Snape moved to check on the boy.

Hagrid took Erin’s hand in his, his black eyes filling with tears, “I’m sorry, Erin. If only I hadn’t been hell-bent on gettin’ Harry here.”

Erin’s eyes filled with tears, but she was even too tired to cry. She wanted desperately to reassure the gentle man, but couldn't muster the words, and instead tried to relay forgiveness through her eyes. Snape stormed back to the bed and snapped, “Don’t upset her further, Hagrid. Erin, Harry will be fine. You need to close your eyes and go to sleep.”

Erin tried to nod and using the last bit of energy she found in the deep recesseses of her body spoke just two more words before drifting off to a much-needed sleep, “Don’t leave.”

And he didn’t. When Erin awoke she found Severus sitting ever vigilant beside her bed. She saw Hagrid snoozing by Harry’s bed.

“Hey there,” he whispered.

“You stayed.”

“You asked me to.”

She nodded and held out her arms to him. He helped her to a sitting position and then moved to sit on the bed with her. Pulling her into his arms, she laid her head against his shoulder and began to cry. “Severus, it hurt so much. I wanted to die. I've never felt anything that hurt so bad in my entire life. I've never wanted to give up on living, but I was praying that it would all end so I could escape.”

“I know, I know, it’s ok, now.”

She pulled away slightly and looking at him closely, “Do you know?” He nodded reluctantly and she pushed herself back into his arms, her tears anew this time crying for the pain he had suffered. “Oh, Severus. How can you bear it?”

“Shh, you’ll wake, Hagrid.”

“That’s not an answer,” she whispered.

“It’s the only one you’re going to get.”

Erin sighed and pulled away, “How’s Harry?”

His face still full of concern, answered, “Well, he was unconscious when you found him, but now he’s asleep. How did you know he was there?”

“I didn’t know. I went for my nightly run; I was about to turn back because the weather was so terrible, when I heard the barking. It was Snuffles, but he took off when I got to Harry. I got Harry to Hagrid, and just as I got to the front steps someone hit me from behind.”

“The Weasley twins saved you.”

“Wow, I sort of remember that. They should get house points. What happened with the Death Eater?” Erin stated firmly.

“They did get house points, and by the time someone went outside to retrieve the stunned Death Eater he was gone, he probably had others with him.”

“Severus, I don’t feel tired at all. It’s as if I’ve slept for days.”

“You have.”

“What?”

“This all happened on Wednesday, and today is Saturday.”

“Oh, geez.” They sat silently for a few moments. “So, how soon can I blow this Popsicle stand?”

“What?”

“Severus, ugh. When can I leave?” she sighed.

“You’ve got somewhere to be at four in the morning?”

“Four? Oh wow. Wait a minute, have you been here since Wednesday night?”

“Yes, you asked me to stay.”

“But what about-”

“Erin, let it go. I’m here, I’ve been here. Now, why don’t you just go back to sleep until a more reasonable hour?”

“What about you?”

“I’ll sleep over here,” he said indicated a cot near her own. “I’m not going anywhere, ok?”

“Ok.” She suddenly didn't feel much like arguing, and when she lay back down it was to fall asleep instantly.

After she awoke Erin learned that Harry was also leaving the Hospital Wing that day. Erin felt so relieved she couldn't stop hugging him, which thoroughly embarassed Harry. Finally letting the poor boy get some air, Erin and Harry, accompanied by Hagrid and Snape, went to the Great Hall for breakfast. Cheers and applause from the students, aside from the Slytherins, greeted them. Erin waved to the students and moved to the staff table.

She ate breakfast talking cheerfully with Flitwick and Snape. Of course, she spoke cheerfully, Flitwick spoke cheerfully, and Severus mostly glowered, but it was a wonderful conversation nonetheless. After breakfast Erin went to the Gryffindor table and found Fred and George. She sat down next to them and hugged them before kissing each one on the cheek.

“Professor Worhli, you’re embarrassing them!” Hermione laughed as the boys blushed deeply. Erin laughed with them before leaving the hall.

Walking to the entrance hall, she lingered for a few moments remembering Wednesday night.

“What are you doing, Erin?”

She turned and saw Harry watching her intently. “Just thinking.”

“You know, Snuffles helped me escape.”

“I figured.” She paused for a moment before asking the question that was praying on her mind, “I guess it would be silly to ask if they mentioned me while you were captive.”

Harry looked at his feet and mumbled, “Uh, yeah, they did.”

Erin took the cue, and sighed, “Ok, let’s go to my office.” They walked to her office in silence. Erin could sense how upset Harry was.

When they entered her office, it didn’t take long for him to ask stiffly, “Why didn’t you tell me that was why Malfoy wanted your blood?”

“It’s not something that comes up in conversation, Harry.”

“You could have told me.”

“Ok, ok, you may be right.”

“So, do you think its true?”

Erin shook her head. “No, I mean, I don’t have proof, but how could I be? I think I’d feel evil or something. I also figured that I would be a much more nasty person. I mean, you’ve seen me in the morning, I’m pretty grumpy, but its not like I’ve ever actually tried to take off someone’s head.” Harry didn’t smile at her attempt at a joke, so she pressed on, “Did they say one way or the other.”

“No, from what I understood they weren’t sure yet for some reason.”

“Geez, a Muggle blood test takes way less time than this.” Harry shrugged, and Erin was unsure of what to say. An awkward silence passed between them. “I was so happy to see you. We were all so worried about you.” He didn’t respond. “Harry speak to me!”

“I’m just disappointed.”

It felt as if a knife had been plunged into Erin’s heart. Choking back tears, Erin said, “I didn’t choose this, Harry.”

“No, I’m not disappointed about your possible family connections, Erin. I’m disappointed that you were afraid to tell me. I thought we were friends, but you couldn’t tell me.”

“Harry, give me a break, why would I burden you with all of this? You’ve got enough to deal with.”

“I’m sick of people walking on eggshells around me. I can take uncomfortable things. I’ve been through a lot of stuff already, I realize more than someone my age should, but the fact is, its happened, I can’t take it back and I’m sick of people trying to protect me.”

“Alright, Harry, you’re right. If any thing else happens with Voldemort or his Death Eaters I’ll let you know. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“So, friends again,” she asked extending her hand. He took her hand and shook it slowly.

Erin reached out and put her arm around his shoulders as they left the room. “Harry, don’t you ever wish you were able to be normal and have a normal life?”

“At least once a day, but I’m not normal. I mean, who really has a normal life? Everyone has twists and turns in their life.”

“And those twists and turns make us into the people we are.” She summarized for him.

“Yup.”

“Well, Mr. Potter, you are far too young to be able to express the things you do, but having had a childhood almost as tumultuous as yours, I know where you’re coming from. You’ve got a long way to go in your life, and only having a decade on you, I’m really not the best person to offer sage advice, but since you’re in luck, and I’m a know it all, I’m going to give you some exemplary advice.”

Harry laughed, “Ok, let’s hear it.”

“First, don’t dwell on the past, it doesn’t help because no matter how much you think about it, you can’t change it. Believe me, I’ve tried, and I realized moving on is the best thing I’ve ever tried. Next, choose friends wisely, as you’ll probably need to lean on them at some point. You do not need any help with this as Ron and Hermione are amazing individuals and I envy the friendship you have with them." Harry blushed, but Erin finished up, "Finally, find joy in life. For me, this has been the hardest, so I wish you the best of luck. Oh, yeah, also, always listen to your elders, especially me.” She laughed with Harry as they parted ways.