Open Your Eyes

The rest of the night went by smoothly. Madam Pomfrey got my arm wrapped up, and I was able to sleep peacefully through the night. When I woke up the next morning to find my uniform laid out, and my books sitting on the table for me. So I was quick to get up and get myself ready for the day.

When I walked into the Great Hall, I could feel all the eyes that were on me. Word really does travel fast around here- everyone always knows everything. It's like as soon as something happens around here a red flare shoots up into the air and alerts everyone of what's happening. Trying to ignore the feeling of everyone watching me, I quickly found and sat down next to Lily. She was sitting next to James, and across from them was Sirius and Remus- and they all looked scared.

"So how's everyones morning?" I asked, trying to keep the focus off of me. No one said anything. From the corner of my eye, I watched as Lily slammed her elbow into James' gut, causing him to suck in a deep breath and almost choke on a bite of toast. "Quidditch practice today, wanna come watch?" James gasped out. His distress seemed to make Sirius just about die with laughter. They were all so tense.

"Watch you fly around in the air on a stick, running into other people in the air on sticks? No thanks, I think I'll just stick with my regularly scheduled classes." I waved him off. Quidditch never really interested me. Other students seemed to really enjoy it, meanwhile I would rather just curl up with a good book.

"Amery, are you sure you're feeling up to class today? I'm sure the professors wouldn't mind if you missed today because of what happened last night." Lily's voice was stern, and reminded me of my mother. But that didn't stop me from slamming my hand down on the table. "I don't need to take a day, Lily. It's just a few scratches, I'm fine!" I snapped at her.Instantly, I regretted it, and I suddenly didn't feel like eating anymore.

Without saying anything else, I pushed myself up onto my feet and walked away from the table. Actually, I walked out of the Great Hall altogether. I walked away from the crowded meal hall at a slow pace, passing other students along the way. None of them said anything, but just like the students in the Great Hall, they watched me with wide eyes. I just can't stand it when something like this happens- everyone tries to put themselves in your business. What happened to me last night has nothing to do with them, so they need to stay out of it.

I had left the Great Hall and started heading towards potions class by myself. So it didn't take me long to notice that another pair of feet had fallen into step with my own. Though, I didn't bother looking up, afraid to see someone that I didn't want to be around.

"What do you want?" I muttered, clutching my books to my chest. "To check on you. I heard about what happened." Hearing the familiar deep voice, my body seemed to relax ever so slightly. Slowly, I turned my head and looked up at the boy that was walking next to me. "I'm fine, Severus." I said with a sigh. He stayed in step with me as I pushed my way through the growing crowd of students walking through the hallways.

Reaching over, Severus grabbed my injured arm and pulled it towards him. The sleeve of my robes had fallen and revealed the slightly blood-stained bandages that Madam Pomfrey had wrapped around the area. "What did Madam Pomfrey say?" He questioned me. His eyes studying the once white bandages that were covering my skin.

I tugged my arm away from his hold- allowing my sleeve to fall back down and once more hide my arm. "She said as long as I don't cause them to get worse or even infected then they'll be healed soon enough- probably leave a scar though." I informed him simply with a shrug of my shoulders. Severus was silent for the next few moments as we walked. We came to a halt outside of Professor Slughorn's classroom. The door was closed, so we couldn't go in yet.

Professor Slughorn is very peculiar about letting students come into class early- in the sense that he just doesn't do it. The door remains closed and locked until just before class actually begins.

With a sigh, I stepped back and leaned up against the wall just next to the door. Severus remained standing in front of me. "What exactly happened to you Amery? What all do you remember?" He asked me very suddenly. I knew that people were going to be asking me that a lot the next few days, but I can't remember what all happened. My memory of the dream was very spotty.

"I don't know, Severus. I really don't remember everything." I sighed, looking him in the eye as I told him the truth. My memory is absolutely useless. So, Severus decided to go about it a different way than just asking for the full story. "Alright, then why don't you tell me what you do remember?" He suggested, stepping ever so slightly closer to me. Taking a deep breath, I nodded my head and decided to do as he said. "Like I said, I don't remember much. I remember seeing the moon- full and beautiful in the sky. Even though it was shining, everything was dark and cold. It was so cold, Severus. A-And I hurt. My whole body just hurt so bad." My voice began to shake.

Instinctively, my hand came up to the wound on my arm and just rested over the bandages. Severus had an almost scared look on his face. Yet, before he could say anything in response to what I had told him, the door to Slughorn's class swung open. Slughorn had a large, happy smile on his face as he opened the door to allow us into the room.

Quickly, I pushed past him and made my way over to the table that I was always at. Other students began flooding into the room as well. I set my books down on the table in front of me before I sucked in a deep breath. My lungs felt deprived of oxygen.

I had been expecting Severus to follow and stand next to me at the table, but when I looked up I saw Sirius standing there instead. "You know, Snivellus probably isn't the best person to be hanging around with." Sirius laughed slightly. Turning my head, I saw Severus standing near the door talking to Slughorn, like he was waiting for Sirius to leave. "Don't call him that. He's my friend, unlike some people." I snapped at the boy. Sirius let out a breath he was holding in, and turned his head in order to look down at me.

"Then, I'll make this quick. You haven't decided if you're going to be friends with us yet, I understand that; but we are the best friends you'd ever have. We support one another, we care. James cares about Lily, so we all care about Lily. So friend or not, Lily cares about you, so we all do too. We're here for you." With that, he walked away. I watched him as he moved to stand at a table across the room with Remus.

As expected, once Sirius had walked away, Severus came over to the table and set his things down next to me. "Making new friends, are we?" Severus questioned rather simply. I kept my eyes forward, watching as Slughorn wrote our assignment on the chalk board. It wasn't really an assignment as much as a test to see how much we had actually learned. "Please don't start, Severus. There's already just too much going on today." I mumbled, shaking my head.

"Alright, alright, I won't say much. I just think you would be better off staying away from them. You'll be safer." His words confused me just as much as they surprised me. I looked up at him with wide eyes, wanting answers. "I don't understand what you mean, Severus. What are you talking about?" I questioned him.

Reaching out to grab what we needed for the potion, both Severus and I began working while we talked to one another- not wanting to attract the attention of any of the other students or even Slughorn himself.

"Do you remember the incident from last school year?" He questioned, reaching for something across the table. I waited for him to finish with it before grabbing it to use as well. "I remember you saying that something had happened, but you never really told me what it was." I said, turning my head to look at him. He kept his eyes forward.

"What happened last year, was because of them. They caused it. They cause nothing but trouble where ever they go- you're not safe anywhere near them." As soon as the words left his lips, his hand raised into the air, signalling Slughorn that he had finished with his potion. The Professor immediately came walking over to inspect Severus' work. "Very, very good work my lad!" Slughorn smiled widely, clapping his hand down onto Severus' shoulder. "You're dismissed." Turning, Slughorn walked away and continued to make rounds through the room.

Severus didn't hesitate. He gathered his belongings and quickly walked out of the room- his robes flowing behind him as he went. The potion bubbling in the cauldron in front of me was done and ready for Slughorns inspection, but I couldn't bring myself to raise my hand. My entire body felt numb, and I couldn't bring myself to speak.

Instead, my eyes stayed glue to the door Severus had just disappeared through.