Chapter 1

Quiet Scream

The concrete waterway pipe was quiet; even the sound of the occasional car driving over it was faint, like a soft rumble of thunder in the distance. Occasionally a voice echoed through the other far entrance and bounced off the walls in sharp notes, but never once disrupted the pair hiding in the darkness. Everything to them was just background noise.

One girl was stretching out her legs to try and get rid of the growing (and painful) cramps in her knees while flicking calmly through a thick art book and the other was glued to her mobile phone, texting at impossible speeds to at least five different people in both Facebook and her messages. How she did it the older of the pair didn't know, all she could do was type on a keyboard super fast.

"Hey Mythal, what's the time?" The brown-haired woman's voice broke the relaxing quiet and echoed in the tunnel; the girl stuck up her middle finger and held it to her mouth for silence (unlike a normal person that would use their forefinger) as her first answer to the question. The brunette waited patiently for her friend to finish with brows raised and a dull, expectant expression.

After finishing another text and exiting the Internet screen on her temporary phone (since she had a habit of breaking her other ones), Mythal looked at the time while brushing dyed cherry red hair behind an ear with her thumb that had fallen into her face during the hardcore finger marathon, "2:27, why?"

"I think its coffee break time! Want anything from the corner store?" The brunette stood and jumped around to stretch her pained legs to get the blood flowing and rid herself of the tingles that went down her spine to her toes. Everything was hurting and was made worse by her chronic fatigue. Blasted annoying thing.

"Potato cakes and a Dagwood dog, thanks Artimis." The second she finished talking; Mythal looked back down at her phone and restarted her texting. It was almost as if she had never looked away.

The oldest of the pair lifted her large cream coloured messenger bag over her right shoulder, after replacing her book into the back section of it, so the strap sat across her chest and the bag itself was on her left hip comfortably, "I'll be back in just a moment! Try not to miss me too much while I'm gone."

Quickly Artimis rushed out of the dark tunnel and climbed up the steep stonewalls, mind set on a very large bottle of iced-coffee. With some difficulty and pushing down her annoyingly sizable chest with her palms she wiggled through a gap underneath the wire fence, stood and dusted her dark grey woolen cardigan off again with a grimace.

A couple of minutes was all it took to speed walk to the gas station and store just down the road, buy the things needed and then run back to vault over the fence with a stumble, she almost face planted into the ground like many Youtube fail videos she had seen. Sport was not Artimis' strong suit.

"Hey milady, your meal is served." Artimis sat crossed legged beside Mythal and placed the brown paper bags full of hot steaming food on her thigh. Mythal took the one with the Dagwood Dog and hummed in appreciation at the sight of the sickening thick layer of chicken salt and small amount of tomato sauce, most of which ended up soaking into the paper holding it.

The same was with the potato cakes, Artimis took one out and nibbled on it after dusting off a bit of the salt while staring absentmindedly into the small trickle of water in front of her, a few fallen leaves floated along the soft flow.

The two ate in complete silence, Mythal was busy texting on her mobile to whomever again and Artimis' mind was elsewhere flying across the plains of the realm of her novel upon the beautiful flying galleon belonging to a character in her book.

It wasn't until the food was gone and that Artimis finally opened her coffee that the two began to talk to each other, Artimis started to draw Harry Potter and Star Wars characters along the wall and ground with a charcoal pencil along with her own characters as they spoke.

"What's wrong Mythal, you look like an ant has climbed up your ass and is having a downright party…?" Asked Artimis midway through the conversation when she noticed Mythal was squirming where she sat.

"Fuck my life, I wanna go to the toilet… but my sports group should still be there at the park." Artimis laughed in amusement at her friend's demise.

"Go out the other end of the tunnel and go to the petrol station then."

"I think I will do that. Good…" Mythal's clothes rustled as she stood up while talking to Artimis but a small, unfamiliar sound was followed by Mythal's immediate silence causing the older girl to spin around.

"NO!" Raising her arms almost as if to catch her friend, Artimis watched with horror as Mythal fell to the ground, a man stood with a held bloody dagger out as if beckoning to her. His whole face was covered with a bandana and large sunglasses underneath a deep black hoodie.

Artimis didn't have the time to scream as the man came for her, she lashed out with her foot towards his knee to hinder him even a little so she could run for help. But the man moved with trained dexterity and swung his arm in a large arc, slashing Artimis right across her throat as she slammed her hand down across his wrist to try and break his attack. The simple necklace she wore snapped off easily and fell into the man's expecting hand. The attacker didn't react when her body crashed to the ground with a loud bang.

Without pausing to make sure no one heard, the man bent down and took everything of value from their bodies and tucked them into his own backpack before arranging their bodies away from either entrance to the tunnel so when people looked they didn't see them. The blood on the ground could be easily mistaken as spilt spray-paint.

Stealthily, with talent only from one with years of training, he left while keeping to the edges of the waterway so no one saw him. Unbeknownst to him, Artimis was giving a small smile of success, for beneath her badly filed nails she had somehow succeeded in scraping a small sample of his skin in her failed block.

If she was going to die like this, she was taking the bastard out with her.

Alone

It was like she was waking up inside a thick fog, everything sounded muffled, underwater. The first thing she noticed when waking was that she had a throbbing headache originating from the back of her skull meaning she was alive somehow. Next was that she was warm with something tightly drawn over her body. After filtering that thought process through her sluggish mind she noticed voices and perked her ears up to them. Maybe they will give her a clue on what was happening.

"… found at the edges of the Forbidden Forest. Lucky he saw her, else the forest dwellers would have gotten her." Whispered a woman's voice, and the first thing Artimis noticed about was that it was as warm as whatever was currently tight around her body (maybe a blanket), like the voice of a sweet grandmother.

"Yes, I am sure he gave you a surprise when he came in with her. How is her condition?" That voice sounded like that one grandfather that was always causing shit for the rest of the family, full of wholehearted mischief. But something about his undertones spoke respect and wisdom… and long hidden secrets.

"She hit her head hard on the ground, there is a small amount blood in her hair and a small cut but not hard to heal. Strange thing is I have found nothing that shows how she got here; she couldn't have Apparated into Hogwarts because of its barriers. She doesn't even have a wand…"

Artimis resisted sitting up suddenly like a vampire from a coffin in many corny movies and saying 'Excuse me? Hogwarts, wand and Apparate?' but she forced her body still and listened, wanting to know more of what happened before she forged a story… wait, what about Mythal? Was she alone?

"… There is no chance of a Muggle walking through, not from the forest. She would have died or been frightened off by the protective illusions."

"Maybe I can ask her, I believe she woke a few moments ago whilst we were speaking." Spoke the old man's amused but knowing voice and the content he spoke made Artimis' heart race, "Will you find Severus and tell him she is awake and also inform Hagrid that she is well, and also bring something for her to eat on your return?"

"Of course, Albus." The woman left, the door she passed closed with a resounding bang despite it being closed gently making Artimis jerk her eyes open from the pain that shot through her head, she looked around with anxiety before slowly sitting upwards with a struggle due to the four sheets tightly tucked against her.

"Here," Said the man with a long, silvery beard and a gaudy fashion sense that was just as terrible as it was in her imagination, "drink this. Then tell me, what is your name?"

Artimis took the mug from him, while trying to keep her hands from shaking as she felt that his hand was real and not a figment of her imagination, and took a sip of…

She licked her lips at the flavour. 'So this must be Pumpkin Juice… I think it just became my favorite beverage here.'

Once having the delicious beverage Artimis finally gathered enough courage to speak, "T-Thank you. Where am…" She blinked when she remembered that he asked her a question, "I am Artimis Knight." The surname was something she came up with when she and Mythal wanted to be… inconspicuous in messages or if they got into trouble. This seems like a good time to use it.

"This is Hogwarts of Witchcraft and Wizardry, you are in the hospital ward. I am the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore and the woman that was with me was Madam Poppy Pomfrey, the school Matron." Dumbledore flicked his wand, making the empty mug float from Artimis' hand and refill with a jug before floating back, "Severus Snape, who is a teacher here, will be joining us soon."

Carefully she took it from the air so it didn't slip from her butter-fingers to shatter on the marble ground and took another mouthful of the drink, each sip calmed her down and helped her organize her mind, "What happened? I remember being with my cousin, then nothing…"

"You do not remember anything? That is troubling indeed…" Dumbledore gave her a look, one he gave Tom Riddle when questioning him about the Myrtle case, as if he knew she was lying but wasn't going to continue querying her, "You were found by Hagrid outside the border of the Forbidden Forest."

"… Was I alone, my cousin…?" Artimis looked afraid, what if the creatures in the forest dragged Mythal away?

"Hagrid only found you, I pray your cousin is safe too." Dumbledore sighed before looking at the massive door as it he knew someone was going to come through very soon, as he did Artimis took in the sights. The long room looked just as it had in the film adaptions just more, well… more.

Magic filled each corner of the room; nothing was without it. Everything was floating, glowing, sparkling, bubbling, and changing colour. Only the occasional item didn't hum with magic, little miscellaneous things that didn't need constant spells over them like the beds and the tables beside them.

When she drew her eyes away to examine herself she tightened her lips, all her jewelry was gone. Reaching up to her earlobes she found her cheap gold-plated sleepers were still in her ears but… but all the expensive stuff her mum bought her was gone. Her mother worked in a jewelry store so she got everything cheaper but still they were costly.

Artimis also noticed her bag was not in the vicinity making her grind her teeth against the inside of her cheek in anxiety. Her phone and purse were inside, with all her details including the years that would be the future for the HP world, that information would be difficult to make a story over…

With a bang against the wall the door opened again, Artimis' head whipped around and her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates made her look like a startled rabbit rearing to flee as Severus Snape stalked across the room, in all his fleshy stringency. His cloak fluttered behind him just as it did in the film adaptions, but managing to be more frightening, his skin was a ghastly shade and beneath tightly knit brows his were void-black eyes darkened around the sockets from years of deficient sleep.

His hooked nose, like a hawk's beak, nestled above a thin drawn down mouth, which pulled even further down at the sight of Artimis. It was as if she was wasting some of his precious time… in a way she was. Artimis was not supposed to be here after all.

"I see she is awake." As he spoke Snape sent his gaze to Dumbledore as if ignoring Artimis' entire existence in hope she would disappear from the face of the Earth. It was obvious the two of them were not going to get along once the shock induced fear left Artimis, "Shall I contact someone to collect her from the Ministry for trespassing, Headmaster?"

"No need, she is nothing dangerous. Just a woman sent far from home by a dark force." Dumbledore gave a gentle smile down to Artimis, "Where are you from originally?"

"Australia… and don't ask if you can contact a family member… there is no one but my cousin," As she spoke Artimis felt herself grow sullen. She was alone, "and she is not here…"

With a gentle hand clasping at Artimis's shoulder to give her some assurance, Dumbledore never removed his eyes from her face, he read the sadness inside and knew she spoke true even though it was half truths hidden in lies. "You may stay in Hogwarts for now. Severus will keep you company until Poppy returns… I must attend to another matter."

Before the Potion's Master or young woman could put in any complaints to the request, Dumbledore left through the still open door leaving Artimis and Snape alone in erupt and awkward silence, both staring at the door in similar disbelieving expressions. Then Artimis registered something, something she didn't expect from someone she only met. A complete stranger (whom was also not really a stranger).

"Hang on, did he say for me to stay…" Artimis' voice barely rose above a whisper as she blinked, she didn't even notice as Snape sat in the seat at the end of the bed with arms crossed in annoyance. What she did notice was his grumbling voice, as it spoke out in snide displeasure.

"Unless your hearing was muddled by the hit to your skull, I would think you heard him clearly. Either that or you were 'disordered' even before the dim-witted half-breed found you, girl." His lips turned up in a cruel sneer at his insult in her intelligence.

It faded a little when Artimis surprised him by giving him a firm, 'not-quite-a-glare' stare; borrowed from her mother when the woman was angry at something even a week after it happened, "My hearing is fine. Thank you for worrying. And I am not a girl, I happen to be nineteen."

"I find that difficult to believe." Snape sent Artimis a glare that had her shuddering a little, slightly regretting her snappish reply. Before he looked her up and down with an unimpressed expression, causing her brow to twitch in annoyance, "You hardly look more then… thirteen."

If he could hear what was going on in her mind he would have heard the sound of something snapping while Artimis sent Snape her own version of a glare, "Mate. You really want to say something like that to an Aussie woman? Especially when she has a few objects within reach that can be thrown? My aim is not bad…"

That made Snape's eyes flick to the table beside her, there were many things she could throw and all of which would hurt if they connected with just the right amount of force, but he wasn't going to back away from a kid having a hissy fit, "If you think I am afraid of a little…"

Smack!

"By Merlin's beard!" Gasped Pomfrey as she entered just in time to see a pillow connect with Snape's face, the sight made her almost drop the tray in her hands, "Severus! If you are going to agitated my patient, you can leave."

The glower on Snape's face increased as the pillow flopped uselessly into his hands, his fingers tightened into it as if he considered throwing it back or cursing Artimis with a hex, before he placed it on the end of the bed and stomped from the room with a hissing growl. He was not going to be very forgiving about this.

Once the sour man was gone Pomfrey turned her attention to Artimis, "Here… I brought you some food from the kitchens. The elves were very happy to make you something, some of them were worried about your wellbeing."

The Matron put the tray over her lap, on it was food that Artimis couldn't believe was done up in mere moments just for her. Picking up the fork she got into it after giving the older woman her reluctant thanks, it filled up an empty hole in her stomach she didn't realize she had until the first mouthful.

Seconds was all it took for the plate to be cleared; only mushrooms were left which received a look from the Matron but she didn't try to force Artimis to eat them, after all she was a grown woman and could make her own decisions in life. As much as Pomfrey wanted to baby her only patient until school started again.

"So dear, I didn't catch your name."

"Artimis Knight… Dumbledore said you were Madam Pomfrey."

"Call me Poppy dear. You are not a student." The woman vanished the empty tray and settled on the bed's edge to check Artimis' head, "Does your head hurt?"

"Just a slight headache… thank you." Artimis laid back into the pillows and sighed as she instantly felt sleep hit her with its heavy mallet. As she dropped out, Pomfrey waved her wand making the curtains close before going off to make sure her stocks were full. If not she would need to ask Snape for some… after he was calmed down of course.

-HP-

Through the night Pomfrey awoke to an awful sound. Loud, and stabbing into her ears. Quickly the woman rushed from her quarters and pushed open the curtains. Upon seeing the teary eyed woman who was clenching her throat as if in pain and struggling to breathe, Pomfrey sat and brought her into a tight, reassuring hug.

"Shh, you are fine. It was just a dream my dear…" Whispering with soothing hushes as she rocked the sobbing woman, Pomfrey wondered what Artimis could have dreamt about to create such a scream.

When the sobbing became quiet little whimpers, Pomfrey pulled back enough to see the other woman's face. It was pale, as if Artimis' skin was covered in a layer of chalk; her eyes rimmed red from her tears. Her hand never once left her throat, as if a rope had just suffocated her.

"Take some breaths, I will be back with something to help you sleep."

Before Artimis could say anything against that in her raspy voice Pomfrey was gone, she headed straight for Snape's dungeon knowing he was typically awake at this late time, going over papers. If he were not for some unknown reason she would find a spare Sleeping Draught and leave a note explaining its loss from his cupboards.

Thankfully Snape was awake as she suspected inside his classroom nursing a glass of concentrated Fire Whiskey after checking his stock to make himself calm down from the 'annoyance' upstairs, he looked up at Pomfrey's entrance with a dismal look and raised a brow, silently questioning not only her presence but the fact she came down in her sleep wear and hadn't even pinned up her long curls.

The look didn't even ruffle Pomfrey's feathers. She had grown accustomed to his antisocial demeanor through the many years they knew each other, she had also mended many broken noses through Snape's student years.

"I apologize for coming at this unforgiving hour. Would it trouble you if I can have some Sleeping Draught's?"

"I have some in stock… do you require more brewed at a certain date?" Snape stood and went to his massive cupboard while speaking causing his voice to become muffled with the walls; unable to catch his words Pomfrey followed him inside and waited for the man to repeat. "If you need something you typically wait until… ah, it is for the girl?"

"She is a young woman, Severus. And yes it is for her." Pomfrey sighed sadly and placed a hand on her forehead making Snape look over to her, "That scream… it was not one from a simple nightmare. Something happened to her before coming here, something possibly traumatic. I might need more then just one batch of the Draught's if I can't help her…"

Whist wondering what kind of a scream it was, Snape looked away and grabbed out two potions and handed them over, "I will make more batches when I have the time."

"Thank you Severus. Hopefully she can get a good night's sleep now."

First day of Everything

After a week of sitting around in a bed like a squeezed vegetable or awkwardly helping Pomfrey in the ward Artimis was able to figure out the timeline of the Harry Potter universe she was in and also meet all the teachers. It wasn't difficult to find out the important information, everyone was excited about one name, one boy who was going to finally step through those doors.

It was the first year, the very beginning of EVERYTHING. Artimis was going to be able to live it from day one. But how far would she make it through the dangerous world of HP?

She didn't know if she would survive until the very end, but it was something to hope for. Maybe she could save lives lost in the books, while pretending to be oblivious to everything? Would Dumbledore let her stay in Hogwarts the whole time or would she have to survive on her own… alone?

Artimis would not know until she lived the life, just because she read all the books and watched the movies hundreds of times she could not be sure if everything would pave out the same way now it had her in the midst. You never know, her very existence could destroy the world. And that was something she wouldn't be able to live with…

Especially if Voldemort gets his hands on her and her memories, Artimis would not be able to hide unless she taught herself how. This thought grinded under her skin, festering in the back of her mind and creating plans.

First Artimis needed to find out whether she had magic and could utilize it, if she did then the second thing to do was learn how to cast spells without a wand if she never got one… following that is to learn how to become an Animagus. That way she could hide in the last year if her form was small enough and somehow the Death Eater's came after her.

The most important thing was to hope Mythal would join her, either in the near or far future. Artimis didn't think she could do this alone, but then again if Mythal came then it would be harder to hide all the secrets they both had bumping about in their heads… she could always try befriending the Golden Trio, start when they weren't together? Maybe try to get into Draco's good books and make him see that the Death Eater's are not the way to go and that he should not be so cruel.

There was so much to think about and try making a plan, though anything could go wrong in the Harry Potter world, but it was worth a try.

"How do you feel Artimis?" Asked Pomfrey, snapping the young woman from her very serious thoughts. Artimis looked up from the Daily Prophet with a shy smile, hiding how the moving images fascinated her. Seriously, moving images on paper that seemed to have thoughts of their own? It was like GIF's were printed.

"Fine thank you… Is something happening? I noticed you were checking your cabinets more often."

Pomfrey looked slightly bashful that Artimis caught onto her actions and looked away for a moment, "I always worry that I missed something before the students arrive. But everything will simmer down when the first children arrive through that door."

"Is that today… tonight?" Artimis sighed as she sat up and rubbed the back of her head making a small thought filter through. Pomfrey had said there was blood in her hair, only a small amount for a cut as deep as it was and Artimis knew for a fact that she bled heavily from things like cat scratches. Strange.

"Yes, will you watch the darling first years sorting? I sadly have to stay here, many students get themselves or others hurt when throwing foolish jinxes on the train…" The woman used her wand to flick and refold sheets on the ends of all the beds lining the walls, Artimis smiled. That was the sixth time in the past half an hour.

"I don't think I can handle the older years eyeing me like a great mystery." With a yawn Artimis put down the newspaper on the table beside her and stood up with cracking bones to stretch out her back, "How long until they arrive?"

While frowning at the noises the younger woman's body was making Pomfrey looked at the clock then outside at the lowering sun, "In about three hours… oh good evening Albus." Both women looked at the door as Dumbledore strode inside with hands behind his back, his mustard yellow robes almost blinded Artimis with their vividness.

"Evening Poppy, and Artimis. How do you feel?" Dumbledore looked to Artimis over the top of his half-moon glasses and gave a small ever-knowing smile.

"Better then I was on my arrival." Artimis twisted her torso causing her back to give a loud crack, she spun the other way and got a weaker one before rolling her stiff neck, "Need to move around but beyond that, I feel calm and also sleeping better then I have in years."

"Good. Then I see no reason for you not to come to tonight's welcome dinner, after having a tour of the castle. You have been here a week and are yet to see further then the wards." A larger rosy smile plastered onto Dumbledore's face, he didn't seem fazed when Artimis sent him a look that screamed 'Are you kidding me?' and simply stared at her. Intimidating her into compliancy.

"I… fine." Artimis sighed while Pomfrey tittered in the background, "Just so you know I don't handle crowds and attention well."

"Noted." The tone Dumbledore spoke in told Artimis that he was not taking her words seriously and was planning something, much to her dismal, "Pomfrey has acquired a few clothes you can wear. I will see you downstairs soon."

"Right, how do I find my way?" Artimis took the sack like bag that the witch summoned from thin air (with a quick thank you) and peered inside. Thankfully nothing horrible like Dumbledore's clothing, just a couple of white button up shirts and knitted sweaters made from simple black or grey wool similar to her cardigan. Thankfully not patterned like Dumbledore's… or the Weasley's for that matter.

"Your tour guide will be here in a moment, is everything in order?"

"I estimated your sizes when examining you on your arrival, I didn't know your trouser size. Sorry…" Artimis resisted sniggering at trousers, she seriously needed to remind herself that these people spoke British terminology. While the word 'pants' for her would be things like jeans or shorts, for them it is underwear.

"No. This is more then enough, thank you. I didn't ask for…" Artimis broke off into a smile before thanking both elders, who were quickly becoming two people she trusted and could rely on in this world. With the approval of Pomfrey she went into the Matron's quarters to take a quick bath and get dressed.

Wearing her jeans, black boots with a thick heel and a white button up shirt beneath a black sweater that was a tad bit too formfitting then what she was use to, Artimis was greeted in the Matron's bedroom by the older woman, "Allow me to dry that for you."

Bowing her head, Artimis waited as Pomfrey ran her wand above her head, drying her wet hair more effectively then a hairdryer causing it to fuzz and curl slightly around her cheeks, the older woman ran her fingers through the softness.

"You have beautiful hair. Those waves are very lovely, just give you enough shape."

"Thank you, my sister use to have straight hair. She wanted mine…" Artimis winced before standing, ignoring Pomfrey's comforting look she went outside. Dumbledore was replaced with Snape, who was looking incredibly pissed off to be here… well Artimis was feeling it too.

She even released a small sound to show her discontent making Snape's dark eyes to flash in annoyance, "Lets make this quick. I would rather be elsewhere."

"Then lead the way."