Secrets and Protection

Chapter 9 - Help from the Potions Master

Snow was falling heavily on a cold snowy night. February 18 was the date that was marked on the calendar. The Gryffindor common room was crowded with students as the fire roaring in the fireplace made the common room the most comfortable place in the whole dormitory. Harry and Ron were at a table in the corner creating their Divination homework, while Raven and Hermione, sitting next to them were working on a paper for Charms. The air had not cleared between the Snapes since that fight before the break.

"Why can't I get this?" Raven sighed as she tossed her quill on the table. "I knew this stuff since I was seven and now I am unable to write more than a few sentences on the proper techniques for memory charms," the frustrated fourth year hung her head in her hands as she yawned.

"Raven, when was the last time you got a decent nights sleep?" Hermione inquired as she looked up briefly from her scroll. Anyone sharing a room with Raven would know that she hadn't slept a good night's sleep since she had arrived at Hogwarts. "I know you are still having those nightmares. You toss and turn all night," her roommate said, putting down the scroll she was using.

Raven stared at Hermione for a second and rolled her eyes. She did not want anyone else to know about her nightmares. And then, when it was obvious that the other girl wasn't about to let it go, she gave in. "You can hear me?" Raven asked, a little shocked. "Lavender and Parvati are much too heavy sleepers to even hear me. I thought you were in too deep of a sleep to hear me as well."

"I am a light sleeper. It takes me a while to get to sleep because of Lavender's snoring," Hermione smirked. "Have you talked to your dad about them?" she asked, remembering what Raven had told her the first night she'd begun having nightmares.

"Dreams for the most part don't mean anything," Ron chimed in hoping to cheer up Raven a bit.

"For the most part, Ron. I've had this dream for the past five months. It hasn't changed. If you didn't notice my lack of sleep has seriously been affecting my grades," Raven explained to the redheaded boy.

"Why not ask your mum for help?" Harry asked looking over at his friends.

"She would just say I was being silly. My mum doesn't believe in this whole seer thing even though I have had plenty of these premonition dreams before. She just writes it off as coincidence." Raven sighed. Her mother never believed in her dream premonitions. "I just can't concentrate," the disturbed child said, putting her scrolls aside.

"Raven, how much longer can you go on like this? People have noticed that things haven't been right with you for a while. You really need to get some sleep. Why not take something for the dreams," Ron suggested, although she knew Raven would hate going to Snape for help. Everyone had noticed the hostility that hade been growing between the two since the start of the year.

Raven shook her head, "Not an option. Give that man another reason to mock me? No way!" Raven thought that was a good excuse. Actually, the real reason she wouldn't go to him was far more embarrassing. Even though she was on very bad terms with her father for months she knew this would only worry him.

"Maybe you should tell McGonagall," Harry added. "I'm sure she could come up with something to help."

The dark-haired girl stood up and shook her head, "Thanks, but I think I have to handle this one my own. I am going to sleep here on one of the couches tonight. I don't want to disturb you tonight Hermione," she said noticing the common room was now empty except the four of them.

"Then we'll stay with you. All three of us," Harry said as he looked over his two other friends who where starting to nod in agreement.

"Seriously, it's not necessary. I'll be fine here by myself. You don't need to be kept up with my tossing and turning. Thanks, but no thanks," Raven said as she turned on her heel and headed to her room to change for bed.

"I, for one, am staying here," Hermione declared after Raven was gone. "I've heard how she tosses and turns at night. Those dreams of hers are really bad. A few times she woke up screaming. You two should stay down here and see what I mean. Once you see how bad they are you then you lot can come with me to talk with Professor Makowitz. She has to know something is bothering Raven," the frizzy-haired witch said.

"You are not going to tell my mum anything!!" Raven said angrily as she came down the stairs in a pair of yellow flannel pajamas and what looked like a fur blanket, but was her old Durmstrang fur cloak, which doubled as a warm blanket. "She has her own ideas as to what is bothering me, and I want her to keep thinking that," she said in a tone very much like her father's. "I suggest you keep your mouth shut if you know what is good for you. This is my problem to handle," the witch said in a threatening tone.

Ron and Harry looked stunned at Raven as her mood changed. She had never raised her voice like that in their presence before.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said in a soft tone knowing she had upset the other girl a great deal. It wasn't what she had intended in her suggestions to Ron and Harry, "I just thought you could use help even though you won't admit it."

Raven sighed as she put the cloak down on the couch, "Not that I don't appreciate your gesture Hermione, but I told you before, my mum doesn't believe in my dream premonitions. Plus there are things that none of you know about me," Raven said as she sat down on the couch.

The trio looked at their fourth companion wondering what she meant by that statement. They thought it was a rather odd thing to say.

"I won't say anything," Hermione said knowing this was none of her business.

"Maybe if you tell us it might help," Harry suggested wondering if there was more than the dreams that was troubling his friend.

Raven shook her head, "I can't," she said simply unwilling to give any more information up. "It is useless to even attempt. But if the three of you insist on staying down here why don't you get ready for bed," she hoped to close this thread of conversation. The three headed upstairs without a word to get ready for bed. When they were gone Raven groaned as she rubbed her forehead, "Those three don't back off for anything. They mean well but they are quickly becoming a major pain in my arse."

Raven sat down on the couch and wrapped herself up in the cloak, enjoying the warm feeling it brew up in her. It reminded her of a time where things were simpler. When they were safer. In a few minutes three sets of feet were heard coming down the stairs, "Thanks for doing this," the tired child said as Hermione and Ron joined her in sitting on the couch and Harry in a nearby chair.

"You are our friend," Hermione said, "we are worried about these dreams of yours. You need sleep," the prefect finished.

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes, "I know, but you needn't watch over me so closely." she moved and sat down in front of the fire and laid back on the floor pulling her fur cloak close to her as she let out a large yawn. "Good night," Raven mumbled as she started to doze off and was in a deep sleep in a matter on seconds.

"She is one stubborn girl," Ron laughed as he shook head. "Honestly, if I was having premonition nightmares I would tell my mum about it," the Weasley said looking over at Raven, glad that he had given up on the silly crush he had on her months ago.

"I wonder if we could find Raven's father and tell him about her dreams. There might be something he could do. Maybe he can convince her he is not going to die," Hermione suggested, although she still remembered Raven's outburst at telling her mother.

"We don't know where he father is," Harry reminded her. "Raven never said anything about where her father is. We don't know anything about her father besides that she spends the summers with him and that her mum despises him!" the lanky boy looked over at Raven who had begun to snore and who seemed to be resting peacefully.

"Let's just get some sleep. I'm tired," Ron said as he yawned widely and took a comfortable spot on one of the couches. "We can talk more in the morning," he continued as his head hit one of the pillows on the couch.

"Ron's right Hermione. I don't think we can do anything more for Raven than she wants us to do," Harry said in a matter-of-fact tone as he took a comfortable place on a chair close to the fire.

Hermione sighed to herself as she got comfortable on a couch. There was more to this story than Raven was letting on and The young witch vowed to herself that she wasn't going to stop until she figured out what it was. She gave the room one last look around and saw that everyone else was asleep. Hermione had been awake for no more than twenty minutes when she heard the portal door burst open and then slam shut. She picked up her head and noticed the spot where Raven had been lying was now vacant.

Raven had run out of the common room shaking with fright as tears streamed down her face. Her latest dream had been the worst of them all. It felt really like a pit of steaming nothingness deep within her soul. The young Snape could hear the voices from her dream echoing in her head. She could see the cold lifeless face of her father with his eyes glazed over.

"Get out of my way!" Raven shoved someone aside, almost bowling them over as she turned a corner.

"Raven, what are you doing out so late?" Colin Creevy asked. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, seeing the girl's upset face. "Should I get Professor McGonagall for you?" the photographer reached out to grab Raven's arm.

"Shove off, you mudblood." Raven hissed, pushing Colin against the wall. Raven heard the air be drawn out from his chest as his body came in contact with the cold stone wall. "This is none of your business," she snapped. "Same goes for you too, my other mudbloood friend." Raven snarled as she looked up to see Hermione peaking out from the corner of the wall. Hermione had left the common room to look for Raven and had happened to stumble upon the scene. "Both of you just stay away." The hysterical witch's voice wavered as she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt before taking off down the hall.

Raven was not paying any attention to the direction her flight was taking her. She had to run to get away from those horrible dreams that plagued her night after night. Before Raven knew what was happening a cold set of hands had grasped a tight hold on her arms. "What is the meaning of this? Being out of bed so late at night?" the voice was one Raven was all too familiar with. It was the cold voice of the person she saw die night after night in her sleep.

The child could not make any words come from her mouth as the sobs that escaped from her body. Snape looked down at his only offspring that was in near hysterics, and without question gently gathered the fragile child into his arms. "Raven? What is wrong kitten?" he asked worried about the girl with whom until quite recently he'd been estranged. When it came down to it Raven was still his daughter and he could never stop loving her.

"Don't die on me please," Raven pleaded between sobs that were being muffled by the parent's chest. Her hands clenched what they could grab of her father's dressing gown; hanging on for dear life feeling that if she let go her father would be gone for good..

Snape had a confused look on his face. "Die?" he questioned. "I am not going anywhere I can assure you. What gave you such a preposterous idea such as that."

Raven's sobs had subsided some, "I have been having dreams since the school year started." Her fisted hands still clenched tightly onto Snape's shirt. "Please don't die daddy," Raven choked back a large sob. "Please don't leave me," she continued to pull at her father's shirt as Snape lead his daughter away back to his quarters to calm her down.

Hermione slid around the corner a stunned look on her face having heard the full scene that had just transpired. "That's her father," Hermione said in a stunned tone as she headed back to the Gryffindor tower debating with herself if she should tell Ron and Harry her new found information.

Before Hermione could round the final corner to return the Gryffindor Room she stumbled over something and came crashing down on top of some object. Hermione was lifting herself up when she saw exactly what it was. Colin Creevey's lifeless body lay sprawled on the cold floor.... Hermione began to let out a scream but she was cut off mid-yell as a bright green light hit her and her body slumped on top of Colin's. Hermione did not even get to finish reading the paper clenched in his hand. On the paper was scrawled "Raven Mako..."