Mancipium

Once again :p Enjoy!
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She ran back into the Gryffindor common room after practically yelling the password at the fat lady. She had tears rolling freely down her cheeks and couldn’t stop breathing heavily.

There where more people awake but no one paid her any attention as she ran up the stairs to the dorm.

She dove onto her bed and pulled the curtains closed. She looked down at her bare wrists and gently stroked the skin trying to feel anything, just to show they where there.

She couldn’t feel any difference on either wrist, and gave up with a huff. She knew she couldn’t let them get away with it, but who could she tell? They threatened to do the same to anyone she told, and she didn’t want to put any of her friends in danger.

Then it struck her, Dumbledore, she could tell him. There was no way they would try and go after Dumbledore. She would tell him after breakfast.

She got up and went to dry her eyes and wash her face in the bathroom. She felt calmer and a bit more relaxed. She walked down to the common room and was about to leave for breakfast when she saw Harry by the fire, staring blankly into the flames.

Walking across she noticed how tired he looked, his hair was ruffled, and his face was slightly muddy apart from track marks on his cheeks where his tears had obviously fallen.

“Harry, are you okay? What… what happened?” Sam knelt down next to him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, even though this wasn’t her thing and neither was she that close to Harry, but he needed some comfort and she was the only one around.

“He… I couldn’t… I just…” a fresh set of tears streaked down his face, his emerald eyes slightly puffy and red. She pulled him into a soft embrace and rubbed small comforting circles on his back, making subtle shushing noises.

“Its okay Harry, its okay, Shhhh, I'm here.”

“It’s just, I tried so hard to find it and I couldn’t, I just couldn’t find that BLOODY HORCRUX!” his voice raised but was still wounded, and when he realised what he said, he sucked in a breath of shock and his puffy eyes widened with shock. The tears stopped instantly and he looked desperately around, finding it was just them he relaxed slightly.

Sam was still sat there in shock; he had just told her what they had been up to sneaking about at night. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

“Harry I...” she didn’t know how to rectify it, she had heard about them before, from her uncle, he was always into the darker things, and Horcruxes where one of the darkest things around.

“You can’t tell anyone, I didn’t even mean to tell you, I'm sorry Sammy I didn’t mean to put you in this situation. If I talk to Dumbledore maybe he could obliviate…”

“Harry, I won’t tell anyone. I know you can do this, and I won’t stop anything that will result in the demise of that madman.” Her hazel eyes met his emerald ones and he knew he could trust her, but for now he was enjoying her company and comfort.

She wrapped her arm further around, and rested her head on his shoulder. They both just stared into the dancing amber flames and felt their troubles lift slightly, the heat from the flames warming them both comfortably.

Sam was just dosing off when a sharp pain struck her in her left wrist. She recoiled and looked down at it, seeing nothing but feeling the pain encircling her wrist.

“Sammy? Are you alright? What’s wrong?” She could see the concern in his eyes and she couldn’t help smiling at him.

“I sprained it before; I just caught it, its fine. I better go anyway Harry; at least breakfast is served late on a Saturday.” He returned the smile but felt strangely cold as she left his side and exited through the portrait.


As soon as she entered the Great Hall her eyes darted across to the Slytherin table where only Draco and Nott sat, she didn’t see Blaise anywhere.

She quickly went across and sat with Cassy who was talking to another Gryffindor about the Quidditch teams this year, which Sam had never really been interested in. But as she looked across she could see him staring, which unnerved her completely.

She had barely touched her food, picking at small bits. She once again looked up to see Draco whispering to Nott, and when he picked up a sharp knife her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

He placed it in his palm and he yanked it down cutting it. She not only saw this taking place, but to her surprise she felt it in her palm and squealed holding her own hand where he merely looked down at his casually.

“Sammy you okay?” Cassidy was giving her a strange look, not surprising seeing as she shrieked and jumped from her seat.

“Yeah, I'm just going to the toilet.” She whispered ‘girly trouble’ then ran from the hall and too the first floor toilets.

As soon as the door was closed she looked down at her hand; there was a raised pink line along it where the knife had cut Draco. But how was it here, on her hand? The spell couldn’t do that, could it?


Cassandra and Lucy where sat studying with Sam in the library, it may have been Saturday, but Professor Snape had given them a HUGE essay that was due in on Monday, so they all intended to finish it so they could go to Hogsmede tomorrow.

“Finished?” Sam hopefully asked her friends, but she was met with a sigh and a shake of the head from both of them.

She could wait for them, but she really had to see Professor Dumbledore, and now seemed like an ideal time.

“I’ll see you in the common room okay? I’ve gotta go see Dumbledore about something.” They both nodded slightly, their eyes never leaving the desk.

She shook her head and made it too the door carrying her heavy book bag on her shoulder. “Ugh, will you look after my bag Lucy?” She just heard a ‘Mhhph’ of affirmation from her, and walked out for Dumbledore’s office.

She was walking along towards his office when her right wrist started to feel warm, she stopped to check it when a soft hand covered her mouth, an arm wrapped around her middle, and the smell of cinnamon invaded her senses.

“Now, now Innamorato, we’re not doing anything stupid, are we?” She struggled and he laughed, sending a quiver down her spine. He released her mouth and loosened his grip slightly, enough for her to squirm free and aim her wand at him.

“What the hell do you both think you’re playing at?! You can’t just do this to someone! I'm going to Dumbledore.” She turned to walk away, still keeping a firm grip on her wand, when he like Draco just said one word. “Stop.” And she couldn’t move.

He sauntered across and whispered gently in her ear, almost lovingly. “Tonight, outside your common room. 11 o’clock. Don’t be late.” He kissed her cheek and walked off in the opposite direction.

She felt her body release and she caught her breath. What would happen tonight? She didn’t want to know. Once again she felt genuinely frightened.