Warmth.

So warm.

Cozy, snug, and warm.

In a bed.

A bed not in Arx Serpens.

Niamh leapt awake at that and blue eyes flew open, staring about the room she was in.  A picture of herself and Harry waved at her from the nightstand and her heart clenched.  Tears welled and threatened to spill down her cheeks at the sight of her friend’s grinning face but she forced them back, choking them down.

A glance about the room confirmed that it was someplace Harry had resided at one time.  Tacked to the wall above the bed was a Slytherin banner accompanied by a copy of a sketch Hermione had done of their crest.  Across the room above a bookcase filled with books on hexes, curses, potions, and various Muggle novels, was another copy of a sketch Hermione had done – this one of Neville’s boggart.  On the nightstand beside the picture, was the tiny statue of Hedwig the owl.  The snake herself was currently residing in Niamh’s dormitory, tucked safely in a box under the bed.

But this wasn’t Harry’s bed in Arx Serpens.

So where was it?

Determined to know, the teen swung her feet down to the floor and padded across it to the door.  As she reached out to open it, she thought back on the events of the day before.

Her outburst at Tyls.

The conversation with Professor Snape.

Her collapse in the hospital wing.

Someone…carrying her.  Somewhere…

“Ah,” said a smooth, silky voice as Niamh opened the door to the room beyond, “it wakes.”

< What greetings you give, Severus. >

Niamh blinked as her eyes took in the form of her Head of House and Jardin, both of whom looked the worse for wear.  The girl blinked as she realized that both were relaxed now.  She was seeing the manifestations of the pain they felt.

Not that she couldn’t feel them.  The room was choked with a sense of loss and longing, so strong that it nearly bowled the young empath over.  Severus noticed this and half rose from his seat at the table.

“Niamh…”

“I’m fine, sir,” assured Niamh, reasserting her hold upon her abilities.  As she did so, she noticed they seemed wilder, more untamable.  A glance at Jardin told her that the raven had noted this as well.  “Just a little…overwhelmed.”

Severus frowned at the girl and said, “Overwhelmed?”

< Aye, > said Jardin < ,overwhelmed by our emotions, I do not doubt. >

Jardin! shrieked Niamh mentally, causing the bird to wince slightly.

< Easy, childling.  It is five in the morning.  I am in no condition to have anyone yelling at me. >

Severus frowned at this then turned his eyes on Niamh.  “You’re an empath,” he hissed softly, vaguely remembering hearing that from Jardin the night before.

Niamh nodded slowly and said, “And a telepath.  Cat’s out of the bag, sir.”

“I see.”  Now Severus did remember hearing that.  “And when, pray tell, did you discover these…abilities?”

“End of last year,” admitted Niamh softly.  “When Harry and Cedric…”

Severus held up a hand to stop her and instantly winced.  He let the hand continue up to his forehead and moaned softly.

< That is what you get for drinking rum, > said Jardin with a smirk in his voice.

“Oh shut up,” snarled Severus, glaring at the bird.

Niamh blinked at the comment from the raven.  She didn’t know her Head of House had drunk alcohol, let alone rum.  Then again, he was about thirty-six.  That thought brought up a vision of Dumbledore getting rather sloshed and she hurriedly dismissed it.  Dumbledore was mad enough without having alcohol mixed in.

“Um, sir?”

“Yes?” said Severus, looking up at her.  Two of his fingers rubbed at his temple, distracting her for a moment.

“Er…did you…?”  She trailed off and Severus smiled.

“Yes, I brought you down here.  Did you suspect Poppy?”

“No, sir,” replied Niamh.  “She’d have kept me in the hospital wing.”

Severus chuckled softly so as not to further aggravate his headache.

“A good point, child.  Now, I believe it is time for breakfast.”

< You want to go to breakfast with the aftereffects of a good sloshing? >

Severus scowled mildly at the raven and sneered, “There is no such thing as a ‘good’ sloshing, foul creature.”

Jardin seemed to smirk at that.  < You tell that to some of the wizards I used to talk to.  Of course, they were Irish so… >

“Bird, that line of conversation is going nowhere.  I’m Irish.”

< Ha!  Only to a fault. >

“What?” said Niamh, not understanding at all.

“Ignore him,” growled Severus, waving a hand lightly.  He then rose a little unsteadily to his feet and weaved through the door that led to his private lab.  When he came back a minute or so later, it was with a surer stride and a slightly smile.

< Sobriety Potion, > sneered Jardin.  < You are a disgrace to Irishmen. >

“And here I thought you just said I wasn’t Irish,” quipped Severus.  He gently took Niamh’s should and began to steer her towards the door.  “Coming, bird?”

< I have nothing else to do. >

“Foul creature,” grumbled Severus good-naturedly as Jardin settled on his shoulder.

Jardin snarled back, < Ignorant biped. >

Niamh chuckled softly at the good-natured banter and the two gave each other knowing glances.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

“Niamh!” cried Mika as he spotted the girl coming towards the Slytherin Table.  His brown eyes darted over her slightly weary looking figure, taking in the light circles under her eyes.

“Hiya, Mik,” said Niamh, sliding into the seat beside him.  “Somethin’ up?”

“Yeah,” replied Mika.  “You’ve had everyone in a right twist, y’know.”

Niamh looked surprised at that.

“What?  Why?”

“Nobody knew where you were!  One second your screaming at that Tyls chap and the next your off with Professor Snape.  Then you don’t show up for class or anytime later.  It’s a worrying process.”

Niamh winced and murmured, “Sorry, Mik.  S’everyone looking for me?”

“Gin, Herms, Amanda, and Neville are right now.  Ron’s still asleep and Malfoy…hell, y’know I wouldn’t ask him for any favors.”  He turned a serious gaze on her and added, “Where did you go anyway?”

“Hospital wing,” mumbled Niamh, knowing what reaction she’d get from him.

Mika frowned and reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder.

“Moping in the hospital wing isn’t going to bring him back any quicker, Ni.”

“Don’t call me that, Mik.  ‘Kay?  I…I’m not altogether right now.”

Mika nodded slowly and said, “Alright.  But you know what I’m saying, don’t you?  You sitting in the infirmary for hours on end isn’t going to do anything but hurt you.  It already has.  D’you think Harry’d want you sitting about waiting for him to wake up?”

Niamh snorted and replied, “Hah!  He’d laugh at me and call me an idiot.”

“Exactly.”

Niamh frowned and looked at Mika, who returned it with a serious look.  She then heaved a sigh and said, “I get you, Mik.  But Harry’s my best friend.  Has been ever since first year.  I worry about him.”

Mika sighed and wrapped an arm about her shoulder’s, pulling her close.  “We all worry about Harry,” he said.  “But he’s not going anywhere.  We both know that.”

“I know.  It’s just…”

“You’ve got that fear.”

“Yeah,” admitted Niamh.  “I’m afraid that he’ll leave me.  Just like…just like…”  She choked and trailed off here.

“Cedric?” queried Mika, saying it very softly so as not to send the Lady Hex into a fit or something much worse – such as a hexing binge.

Niamh nodded and said, “Yeah.  Like Cedric.  I’m afraid, Mik.”

“We all are,” said Mika.  “But we’re Slytherin’s.  We’ll pull through and stick together through it all.  Right?”

Niamh chuckled and gave him a funny look.

“Mik, mate, I think you’re confusing us with the Hufflepuff’s.”

“Oh, y’know what I mean.  Us.  Our group.  You, me, Gin, Herm, Ron, Neville, Amanda.  All that lot.  All for one and one for all and all that Three Musketeer stuff.”

“’Cept there’s more than three of us.”

“Yeah,” said Mika.  “Oh, you know what I mean.”

Niamh smiled and said, “Yeah.  Yeah, I know what you mean.  Thanks, Mik.”

Mika grinned and asked, “Hey, what’re friends for?  Now, what do you say we go find that other lot before breakfast is all gone?”

“Sounds like a plan.  Let’s go!”

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Severus watched Mika and Niamh leave the Great Hall with a small, private smile that only Dumbledore caught.  The old wizard leaned over and whispered, “Resilient, aren’t they?”

“Very,” said Severus, turning towards the older wizard.  “Albus, about this boy…Tyls.”

“What of him?”

“Does something seem – ah – off about him?”

“Off?” repeated Dumbledore.

Severus nodded.

“Yes, off.  I know Harry was kept from getting owls until he was eleven but this Tyls, if he was a wizard – wouldn’t he have gotten a letter?”

“You have a point, Severus, but perhaps he did get them and his teacher did not want him to come.”

“Maybe,” mumbled Severus, glaring at the raven that was currently eating his bacon.  “Get your own food!”

Jardin looked up and batted a bronzed eye at him.

< I would, but bacon is so much better. >

Well, find someone else’s plate, thought Severus furiously at the bird.

< When yours is so temptingly in front of me?  I think not. >  The raven scoffed and turned back to the bacon.  Severus lifted his hands in exasperation and glanced heavenward, bringing a chuckle from Dumbledore.

“Stubborn creatures, are they not?” said the old man in amusement.  “Fawkes is much the same way.”

“Merlin help you, Albus,” said Severus, earning another chuckle from the old man.  He slowly picked up his goblet and took a sip of the cold pumpkin juice.  Perhaps he might get through the next few months without any untoward events.

But judging from what had happened so far, he doubted it.

And he seriously doubted Voldemort would leave Harry alone in his coma.