Chapter 4
October came sooner than she thought, September a blurred mess of new experiences, new friends and new spells. Sat in the Ravenclaw common room, with Michael and Cho the three were stumbling through their Defence Against the Dark Arts homework, an essay about the dangers of stunning spells. Helena mused to herself that an advantage of Ravenclaw was that she was never short of older students happy to help with homework, eager to help others learn more. Nearing the end of their work Michaels voice cut through the silence.
“So unfair Professor Quirrell only gave us a day for this homework”. He grumbled.
Cho replied “At least it’s not too long, only seven inches this time. That homework we had for charms last week took ages.”
Helena decided to take this chance to ask something that had been on her mind. “Do you guys like Professor Quirrell? Not that I think he’s bad teacher or anything- just. Hes a little… odd.” She settled on.
Cho squinted slightly, thinking, as Michael replied.
“What do you mean, sure he’s a little all over the place but he’s nice enough!” Cho nodded, adding on.
“Yeah I think he’s okay, sometimes seems more nervous than the students though.” She laughed lightly.
“Why do you say?” Michael pressed again.
“He’s just.. Sometimes-” deciding that it was possibly best to ignore her thoughts she stopped. “To be honest I don’t know what I am saying, I think I’m just a little tired.” She smiled, slightly awkwardly. Luckily for her the two others chose not to press the issue.
That night, Helena awoke from her dreams with short breaths, images and visions of a massive creature locked up in a small room plagued her thoughts. Gulping she pulled herself out from bed, pulling a jumper over her pajamas she slipped out the dorm as quietly as she could, luckily not waking Cho or Padme.
Stepping down the stairs she made her way to sit on the sofa nearest the fireplace, tucking her knees to her chest. Unsure of how much time later, she heard the sound of footsteps. Looking up she was met with the concerned gaze of Jenny.
“Helena? What are you doing up? It’s nearly two in the morning.” Her voice was gentle as she sat down next to her.
“It’s nothing. I just couldn’t sleep.” She lied slightly.
“Bad dream?” Jenny offered up.
Unable to reply she nodded.
“Been having a lot of them?” Jenny concerned voice asked.
“Yeah… It’s been worse since I got to Hogwarts.” She admitted.
“We can’t have that” Jenny stopped in thought, humming to herself slightly.
“Are you scared to go back to sleep cause you think youll have another bad dream?” Jenny guessed correctly. Once again Helena just nodded.
“Well we definitely can’t have that- alright come with me- you got your slippers?”
“Wait where are we going?”
“Professor Snapes! He has a cupboard full of clear sleep potions and sleeping draughts, he’s always fine to give them out.”
“Won’t he be asleep, and I thought we weren’t allowed out the dorms at nighttime.” Helena worried.
“Firstly, I’m a prefect, I can be out of bed for a good reason. Secondly, Professor Snape barely sleeps, we will be fine.” The two girls left the common room, walking down the many stairs that luckily didn’t move around too much, it almost felt like Hogwarts was asleep too. It was nearly ten minutes later that they arrived down in the dungeons where Snapes quarters were, knocking on his door Jenny grinned as he opened it.
“What.” His voice cut through the silence.
“Little Helena here has been having some bad dreams- I was wondering If you could spare her some of that clear sleep potion?” Jenny asked sweetly, Helena looked at her feet, hoping that this wouldn’t get back to Lucius and Narcissa, Snape was Draco’s godfather after all. Despite this fact, Helena didn’t know the man all that well.
“Helena come in. Jenifer you may return to bed. I’ll see Helena returns.” He said curtly, dismissing the older girl. Following Snape into the classroom she sat down as he instructed, he rummaged in a tall cupboard, turning back around holding a couple of different vials.
“The nightmares. What are they of?” He asked bluntly.
“I- Just normal nightmares.” She decided on saying.
He huffed slightly. “I will need at least a theme. Do they feel real? Are they paticuarly dark? I’ll need to decipher the root cause, it may be a boggart in your room or some infestation of some creature.”
“I.. I feel as if I’m experiencing things from others eyes.. Like I am them- Sometimes I feel like im in someone else’s nightmare.” Her voice was weak as she spoke, looking up at him.
“How long has this gone on?” He settled on, his eyes widening for only a brief second.
“Always, since I was little.”
“Does it ever happen when you are awake?”
“Please don’t tell Narcissa and Lucius.”
“As of right now this conversation will stay strictly within the confounds of this room.” He uttered simply.
Nodding, she replied again. “Sometimes I feel like I fall into other peoples heads, like I can see their secrets and the things they are guarding.” Helenas voice shook as she spoke, slightly horrified with herself that she was actually admitting this to someone.
“I know I sound mad. It’s not exactly a good thing to be having this happen to you is it?”
Snape didn’t reply to her, seemingly trapped in thought.
“Concentrate. Focus on my thoughts. Don’t think of anything else.”
She blinked, confused, but let out a sound of agreement. Barely having to concentrate she looked up at him.
“Harpies? The quidditch team.” She asked confused.
“The magical creature. I dislike quidditch.” He uttered, continuing.
“You appear to be a Legilimens. Or at least you have the making of one. A natural inclination to the art.” Snape drawled out. Sucking in a breath she took a step back, worry taking her over. An abnormality. He looked at her with some level of pity, before speaking again.
“People tend to… distrust Legilemens. It might be preferable to keep the matter private.”
“Even from my aunt and uncle? From Draco?” Helenas voice was small, actually reflecting her young age for once.
“Yes. It would be for the best.” Snape replied after a longer pause than she would have liked.
Nodding, she stated she would keep it to herself, after he stated she could come to ask any questions she had when she needed, and also several dreamless sleep potions being placed in her hands she was ushered back up to the Ravenclaw dormitories. Standing outside the door inside.
“Thank you. I’m sorry for disturbing you.” Her usual proper tone returned, the tone of a child raised by people like the Malfoys.
He shook his head slightly. “I am a Hogwarts professor. I have a duty of care.”
Looking at him she nodded, feeling for a moment she had never heard the man say something so honest. For a moment it felt like there was no cloud in his mind like their usually was when she concentrated on him. Turning on her heel she entered the dormitories once more, her soft bed calling out.
For the first time in years an uninterrupted sleep welcomed her.