"Perhaps if I knew what it was you were looking for..." he suggested. "Not all of my ingredients are here for just anyone to sneak in and steal. I learned my lesson when Potter and his friends were students here."

"A secret stash?" she mused, "That is like you, I suppose." She pushed passed him and exited the cupboard, wiping down the cobwebs that had stuck to her sleeves. In order to let him know she hadn't forgotten the night before, she drew her wand, holding it between her neck and her chest. She didn't want to tell him what she wanted, that was the whole point in breaking in and stealing it. It was possible to get it off Madame Pomfrey but chances were if she did that, the gossipy woman would go back and tell Dumbledore which would lead to him worrying and nagging. She didn't need that. Her eyes began to glaze, she looked spaced out as she stood and pondered what to do, seemingly unaware anyone else was in the room.

"Well? Are you going to tell me what it is you are looking for, try and hex me again, or leave?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I could do more than try." she replied, avoiding the real subject matter entirely. Looking away, pursing her lips, she added, "I need some Dreamless Sleep potion." Her head was turned so far that the words were barely audible.

Snape didn't respond, he merely reached into his robes, withdrew a vial, and held it out to her.

She narrowed her eyes at him before gingerly taking it, suspicious. It wasn't overly coincidental that he'd have some brewed but in his pocket? He'd either been probing her mind or .. perhaps he was having just as tough a time as she was. Though he probably wouldn't admit it to her. More fool him, she thought. Not that he was one of her favourite people right now but talking would be a start. "Nice shiner." was all she could think to say. Her feet seemed to be glued to the ground and she continually stared at him, as if she was trying to read him like a book. It seemed something didn't want her to leave.

"The compliments should go to the one who gave it," he sneered and turned away from her to fiddle with some papers on his desk. Part of him wished she would just leave as her presence only reminded him of what happened. Another part of him just wanted to take her in his arms. He settled for merely ignoring her.

"Make sure you remember to tell your pupils that. I'm sure they'll ask," she sneered in return, twirling her wand between her fingers. She watched him closely as he busied himself. Before she could stop and think about what she was going to say, she added, "Shouldn't you be going to breakfast? Dumbledore will start to ask questions if you're not there. You don't want him making the assumption that we've kissed and made-up and all is fine and sweet and mellow with the world." A tinge of bitterness was more than evident in her voice but she didn't bother to try and hide it.

"It will be better if he does then, perhaps he will stop pestering me." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Well, she couldn't hate him any more than she did now so, no harm done.

Harry woke early and laid still in his bed until Pomfrey came to bring him breakfast and a round of potions. She bustled around him, but he didn't even really rouse himself to speak to her until she told him she'd be back later. "I can leave today?" His eyes were round and hopeful, but she shook her head ruefully. He sunk back into the pillows and started to glare at a picture of a meadow on the far wall. The little sheperdess was reduced to tears, but Harry carried on anyway.

"He's been pestering you?" She was so shocked the question flew out of her mouth. "He's such a meddlesome old man. Although I am glad ... " she added, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, " ... that you see me as an inconvenience. You say the stupidest things for someone so apparently intelligent."

He shuffled a few more papers and then, looked up. "I'm going up to breakfast," he said, waving his wand in front of his face to hide the bruise. Without bothering to see if she would follow, not caring if she remained in the office, he left.

Kristi dressed in one of her old Slytherin school robes, hoping she'd blend in much better that way. She'd only been out of school a year, after all. She ate a quick breakfast at the bar before heading out of town and up to the castle. Luckily, the wards did not prevent her from entering and she was able to slip past the guards. She didn't want to have to answer any questions until after she'd spoken with Dumbledore. Kristi had made it up to his office without any problems except one, he wasn't there. After asking a few paintings, she decided to head for the Hospital Wing. Apparently Dumbledore was there or going to be there... Well, it was better than standing in the hallway waiting for him and she certainly wasn't going to check the Great Hall.

She opened the door slowly. There didn't seem to be anyone there. Kristi walked in the rest of the way and closed the door behind her. She began walking around, peering into Madame Pomfrey's Office. "He's not here. Stupid portraits," she muttered.

Taking that as her cue to leave, she followed him out of the room and down the corridor, stepping into tow with him. By way of explanation she muttered, "I don't want the students thinking there's any tension between us. The last thing I need right now is idle gossip." She took great pleasure in deducting 20 points from Slytherin at the sight of two fourth years snogging on their way out of the Great Hall.

Harry heard someone come into the room, but he didn't react to them until he realized it was a student looking for Pomfrey. He sat up in his bed and tried to peer around the curtain until finally the girl came into sight. "There's no one here," his tone was a bit more jocular than necessary. "Madame Pomfrey seems to have... wait a moment. Don't I know you? I'm sure... well, obviously if you're a student here, I've probably passed you in the corridors..." He was troubled by it and fell silent.

She spun around at the sound of a voice. "Potter," she muttered under her breath. "Um... yes, I'm a student here," Krist said, walking over to him in the hope he might know where the elusive headmaster was. "I was actually looking for Dumbledore."

"Well, you probably won't be seeing him in here," Harry shifted against the pillows and smiled slightly. "Visitors would mean that this is less like a prison and more like a holiday, and Merlin knows I don't deserve a holiday." He smiled, even though there was a tracery of bitterness in his words. "What year are you?"

She gave him a querying look at his statement. "Seventh year," she said, glad he didn't recognize her from any classes they had shared. Kristi wondered what Potter... Potter? She had almost forgotten that he was her cousin. Odd. She shook her head at the thought, it was too strange. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find him, would you? He wasn't in his office."

"No, we had enough of that a few years ago," he sneered. Why was she still talking to him? He didn't think she had wanted anything to do with him after what happened and he still didn't know what to say to her.

Harry gazed out the window before looking back at her. "It's about breakfast time. I suppose he might be in the Great Hall enjoying some toast." He smiled blandly. She was leaving, so that was the end to the visitors. "Did you take advanced potions last year? You look really familiar." He squinted at her before giving up and sinking into the pillows. "I'm Harry, by the way. You can call me... Harry."

"Oh, I didn't really want to go to the Great Hall," she said, sitting in a chair next to his bed. She'd never particularly liked Potter, though she would never admit, even to herself, why. But, since learning that they were related, she'd felt a strange desire to get to know him better. "I did take advanced potions... Uh... Harry." A couple years ago, she mentally added.

Sirius woke up in an empty bed. He knew last night had to have been a dream. There was no way Marcella and he would end up in bed together except in his dreams. Sirius turns over on his side and notices the room is different than he remembered it. He snuggle in the other pillow and notices it smell just like Marcella's perfume. It wasn't a dream after all. Noticing that Marcella had snuck out without even saying good-bye, Sirius decides to go back to his room and get ready for classes. After a quick shower and shave, he decides to stop by the Hospital Wing on the way to the Great Hall. He's hoping he might be able to talk Harry into letting him have breakfast with him. They needed some time alone preferable in a place where Harry couldn't walk away. Sirius walks in and sees Harry talking to a student. Sirius is impressed at his godson. He's already attracting female students, and the term is just beginning. Sirius starts to walk over when he gets a good look at the student. He stops abruptly. It can't be. Sirius finds himself looking at a ghost that had to be the only explanation. He looks over at the empty beds where her body had laid just monthes ago then he looks back at the girl. Before he can digest the imformation, Sirius blurts out, "Kristie?"

She couldn't help but smile. Although she didn't let him see it. Without another word or a look back, she strode over to the Staff Table. Not particularly hungry herself, she stuffed a roll in her pocket in case she got peckish later and loaded up a plate for Potter. It did make her wonder whether going there with food twice might look suspicious but at the same time she didn't fancy sitting in the same room as Snape, having to be civil. It just wouldn't do. Leaving the Hall, she headed down to the Hospital Wing, knocking on the door before entring in case he was being changed or something.

Someone seemed to already be in there with him. Sirius ... She thought she hard him say ... but he couldn't have done. Pushing the door open, the plate still in her hand, she dropped it the instant she clapped eyes on the person sat next to Harry. She was sure it made a sound but she couldn't hear the china breaking. A look of confusion mixed with nausea drowned her face. "But ... you died. I saw you. He killed you. We watched him make him kill you."

"No, that can't be it..." He grinned sheepishly. "What's your name?" Maybe she had an older sibling who left Hogwarts at the same time he did. He appreciated her sitting by him... best not scare her off with this line of questioning much longer.

"Kristi," she said just as someone else said it, too. Then, there was the sound of a plate dropping and she turned to see Black and Marcella staring at her in complete disbelief. She stood up and looked at them in confusion. "What do you mean I died?"

Still baffled at how someone who was dead could be stood before them, she began stumbling over her words, the memory of Kristi's 'death' flooding back to her; she didn't think it was the best time to break it to the girl that her murderer had been her father. Slowly but surely she walked toward the girl and touched her as if unable to believe she was real. The moment she felt the solid bone of her shoulder, she pulled her into a hug. "But how ... ?" she continually mumbled. "How could you come back from the dead? It's not possible .... you're not an Inferi, are you?" she asked, pulling away from her slightly, a troubled expression on her face.

Harry's brow was wrinkled and he suddenly despised being trapped in this bed. There was something large and strange going on here, and he had no idea what it was, no way of knowing how to protect them and himself. "Wait a moment... she does appear to be fully alive. I've actually seen more than one, and she lacks that whole 'vengeful dead' thing they have. Plus they aren't much for conversation." He eyed the breakfast on the floor before looking back at the girls. "Shall I just be quiet then?"