1She didn't know how long she had been sitting there. So it was not a shock to say that she was certainly surprised when she looked up to see that it was pitch black outside. Pulling herself from the floor, Alexis swiped at her tear streaked face before pulling her bag from beside her feet and slinging it across her shoulder. Making her way through the silent castle, Alexis' mind was in unregistered shock about what the parchment that was currently clutched tightly in her fist had conveyed. She was so out of it she didn't even notice the almost silent footsteps behind her until,
"Is there a reason that you are out of bed at this hour?"
Jumping about a foot in the air, Alexis spun and stuttered,
"Professor Snape, I didn't-"
But before she could continue, she couldn't contain a small sob and she turned her head away from her teacher to try and hide the fresh tears that were now rolling down her face.
Opening his mouth to chastise the young woman in front of him, about to let her know there were no excuses, Severus Snape was very surprised when she broke out in tears. So against his better judgment he frowned and asked irritably instead,
"Miss Cullen, are you ill?"
Gazing up to meet her professor's obsidian stare, which at the moment was filled with impatience and laced with a hint of concern, Alexis opened her mouth to respond. The dizziness and fatigue which had been ignored till now soon took hold of her however. The last thing she remembered was the feeling of two arms encircling her as she fell back, blackness quickly taking over.
--
Opening her eyes against the assaulting light, Alexis groaned before exclaiming groggily,
"Ow. Dammit my head is killing me."
She jumped with a squeak and rolled off what she realized was a couch in a room she did not recognize when a voice murmured silkily,
"Language Miss Cullen."
Pulling herself up and sitting back on the couch, Alexis looked up at the person who had spoken.
"P-Professor Snape. What happened?"
Sitting in a chair across from her, Professor Snape placed a steaming cup of tea on the table in between them before answering,
"I'm afraid you passed out after I asked what you were doing out so late. I brought you to my chambers so we could…discuss what is bothering you."
"Oh..I..thank you Professor. I-" Alexis cut herself off when she swayed for a moment clutching her head. This of course did not go unnoticed by the older man across from her.
"Drink that," Professor Snape softly but sternly ordered. "I added a bit of headache remedy potion. It will help."
Watching her sip at the hot liquid, he asked "Are you hungry? I noticed you were missing from dinner. Mr. Malfoy looked quite worried."
"Yes, I am a little hungry. Thank you sir." Alexis smiled at her Head of House timidly.
"I will be right back. Continue to drink that and when I return we will have a discussion about why you out wandering the halls so late."
Alexis watched her professor swoop out of the room to another part of his chambers before continuing to sip her tea and to take the chance to look at her sat on a very plush black suede couch, two matching armchairs on either side and a dark cherry wood coffee table in the center of it all. Bookcases ran along the walls stacked with every kind of book imaginable. The windows were decked with rich green curtains, the light from the fireplace highlighting the dark velvet. All in all, it seemed very… homey. More than she expected from her stern and unreachable Potions professor and Head of House. She quickly snapped back when she heard the door open once more. Turning her head she watched her teacher walk back in the room bearing a tray that held a plate of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice. Setting it down and pouring her some juice, he let her eat for a few minutes, an awkward silence hanging around the two until,
"So Miss Cullen, I have still not received an answer to my question. Just because you are in my house does not give you an excuse to be out. What were you doing?"
At this, Alexis' eyes began to tear again. "I-I just lost track of time. I received a letter from my uncle and-" Alexis was unable to continue as her tears spilled over and began to trail down her cheeks. Pausing for a moment, Professor Snape placed a hand on her shoulder. Seeing a crumpled parchment on the floor beside the sofa, he asked
"Is that it?"
When all he got was a nod in return, he bent down to pick it up. Smoothing the page out he began to scan what had upset the young woman so much. His furrowed forehead softened and he was filled with a sudden wave of pity and sympathy for the girl as he saw that the letter bore the awful news of her parents death. This would be quite a shock to the Wizard community for the Cullens were one of the most highly regarded families in their world. Looking down at the now sniffling student, he held out a handkerchief to her before saying in a surprisingly soft tone,
"Come Miss Cullen, I'll escort you back to your room. You shouldn't wander alone this late at night."
Taking his hand to help her from the couch, a jolt went through her as they touched causing them to spring apart as if on fire. The journey to Alexis' rooms was silent until they turned the corner and noticed a young woman sitting outside the entrance, a bag at her feet.
"Eve!" Alexis cried running from her teacher's side, the tears starting anew. The woman at the entrance jumped up quickly and the two met in a desperate hug, both clutching each other silently for a minute. Severus observed silently for a minute, resisting the urge to fidget as the two ladies finally separated, and he can see tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. The other woman smiled sadly at Alexis before she moved her gaze onto Severus.
"Oh," the woman breathed, and much to Severus' amazement, she dragged her hazel gaze from his feet to his head, in an obvious leer. Alexis saw the action and she smacked the other girl on the back of the head. "Ow!" The two stared at each other, seemingly speaking to each other telepathically, before the other girl broke eye contact and shrugged listlessly. It was then that Alexis seemed to remember about the Potions Master behind her.
"Er. Thank you for walking me to my rooms Professor Snape," Alexis said softly, meeting his gaze.
"Professor," the other girl, Eve, purred, as she picked up her bag and fluttered her lashes at the bewildered man.
"Eve!" Alexis hissed, opening the portrait and shoving the woman inside. "I'm sorry Professor, I'll see you tomorrow!" Severus watched in confusion as she too went inside the portrait hole. He decided to forget about it and began to stalk down the hallway, intent to catch an idiotic Gryffindor out after curfew.
