Chapter 15: Things heat up
~I think I have a plan.~
~A plan? What kind of plan?~
~ One that involves a deal so you get out of here, and another plan to get me out.~
~WHAT?~ Draco screeched in her head, but she had already shut him out.
"Hey, Voldie..." she began, "Let's make a deal."
"A deal?" he asked, eyebrows raised.
"Yeah. You let Draco go... alive... and I'll stay without a fuss."
"Now, how does that benefit me? You need to... breed, persay."
"Ok, so then, if I'm NOT pregnant, I'll swear to give you the baby when I have one."
Voldemort snorted. "Now, why would you do that?"
She looked him square in the eye. "To get away from you."
"And how do I know you won't back down on your promise?"
"I'm a Gryffindor. We don't break promises."
Voldemort thought about it, then finally nodded. "Very well. Narcessa!"
"M'Lord."
"Deliver to boy to Dumbledore... well, not intact, but close enough not to make a difference," he waved his hand dismissively.
"What? LEXI, DON'T DO THIS!" screamed Draco until Narcessa put the Full Body Bind on him.
~*~
"WAIT! Albus, you can't be serious," Jessi shrieked at Dumbledore.
Suddenly Hermione stood up and hauled Sephie to her feet. All attention was rooted on them. Sephie turned to face Hermie, and they placed the palms of their left hands together, their right ones on their hearts.
"What are you…" started Ron.
"Ron, shut up," barked Hermione tersely. They closed their eyes. Suddenly on the backs of their hands glowed the outlines of the scars on their palms.
"Lexi… Lexi, answer us, if you can… where are you?" asked Sephie clearly.
"Where are you?" echoed Hermione.
Suddenly Lexi's voice was in the room. "Herm? Seph? Is that you?"
"Yes."
"It worked!"
"We'll celebrate when you get back. Where are you?"
"In a room at Voldemort's lair."
"A room, or a cell?"
"A room. They let Draco go because I promised to stay for a little while… they had to taking him kicking and screaming." They could hear the loving exasperation in her voice. "I'm going to try it."
"Lex, no! You can't, it's far too advanced, and…"
"And you two are going to help boost my power so I can do this! There's no other way out."
"Lexi…"
"Hermione, DO IT!!!"
Hermie took a deep breath and together the twins sang a verse of Latin in a clear voice. Ally clutched her husband's arm in panic.
"No… oh, Remus, stop them!"
"I can't." His voice was heavy with pain. "We would do the same for Sirius or Jessi."
"But they're doing magic that could kill them!"
"Darling, as much as the words are sticking in my throat, I have to say that it's their decision."
Suddenly the twins collapsed onto the floor, gasping. Ron and George ran forward to catch them and help them back to their seats. After a few minutes Hermione gasped, "She did it… she's… a phoenix… She's coming back…" Then Hermione passed out beside an unconscious Sephie.
"What did they DO?" asked Harry in panic.
"Magic transfer. It's very advanced, and usually can only be done when touching the person, and then only if the intention is pure. They'll be fine," said Dumbledore quietly.
"Animagus…" whispered Sirius.
"Well, children of two Animagus parents tend to inherit the abilities themselves… but natural Animagi exert tremendous amounts of effort… and for Lexi to do it without a wand the first time… the idea itself is mind-boggling."
Sirius put his head in his hands. "God," he muttered. Dumbledore motioned for the others to leave, but Remus and Ally staunchly refused.
"No. Way."
"Ally…"
"No, Albus."
Suddenly there was a shout, and they ran outside. Draco was lying on the floor, beaten almost beyond recognition, and the others were staring at him in shock. Jessi ran forward and checked his pulse while shouting, "Get Poppy!!!!"
Harry was off like a shot. Sirius came forward and picked the boy up, handing him to Remus. They took off for the Hospital wing, Sirius transforming and racing along with the rest. Ron and George had Hermione and Sephie in their arms, taking them up as well.
About two hours later, Draco was still unconscious, and Sirius and Jessi had gone to take their turn eating. Everyone else was asleep but Hermione, and she was just about to nod off when an odd looking phoenix flew in. Its tail feathers were black and gold, and it had violet eyes.
"Lexi!" hissed Hermione.
Lexi changed back, looking haggard. They embraced quietly. Not even saying hello, she whispered, "Where is he?"
Hermione pointed wordlessly. Lexi turned around, and the little color in her face left at the sight of his beaten frame.
"Oh, cr-" She started to say this loudly, and immediately clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Lexi." She felt Hermione's hand on her shoulder and turned.
"We know."
"Hmm?"
"They KNOW." The compassion in Herm's voice was obvious.
"Oh my God." Lexi closed her eyes. Without opening them, she asked, "How'd they take it?"
"About the same as could be expected," a soft voice that wasn't Hermione's replied. Lexi's eyes flew open. A woman that could have been a taller Lexi's twin stood there, eyes filling with tears.
"Mother," whispered Lexi. In about two seconds she flew across the room into Jessi's arms. They hugged for a moment, and a large black dog barked for attention. Lexi smiled and knelt to hug him and drop a kiss on the top of his head. "Hello, father," she whispered.
Suddenly a groan came from Draco's room, and Lexi went to the doorway in a shot.
"Draco," she whispered.
"Lex?" asked Draco feebly.
She entered the room swiftly and sat next to his bed. He tried to smile at her, and it took almost all his strength to squeeze her hand reassuringly.
"I'm fine," he said, covering the pain as well as could be expected, even from Draco.
"Like hell you are," she said with surprising anger. She smoothed the hair back from his forehead and said more softly, "What in the name of Merlin were you THINKING, fighting them like that?"
"That's just it," he said, coughing slightly. "I wasn't."
She laughed slightly. "I forgot you tend not to think a lot."
"That's only cause I'm around you; you do enough thinking for the both of us," he joked weakly.
"Very funny. Who did this?"
"Who do you think? My father and his lackeys."
"Oh, when I get my hands on…"
"Yeah, ok. You kill him for me. Right now, I couldn't hit a gnat with enough force to kill it."
She suddenly looked stern and worried at the same time. "You go back to sleep," she ordered. "No more flirting."
"But I enjoy flirting with nurses like you; it's the only fun I get."
"Can't flirt if you're dead."
"Try telling that to Moaning Myrtle," said Harry as he came in.
"I don't recall asking for your presence here, Potter," said Draco without any real malice.
"That's odd; neither do I," he replied with a laugh. He handed a bottle to each of them.
"What's this?" they asked at the same time. Harry pointed to Lexi and then the other bed in the room. She was already shaking her head violently.
"Oh, no. I can't sleep now."
"You can and you will," Draco said firmly. "If I have to sleep, so do you."
"Fine." Much as she hated to admit it, sleep looked REALLY good right about now.
"Good. Count of three?"
"Agreed. One."
"Two."
"Three." They both downed the glittering potion at the same time, and almost immediately they fell asleep.
Door closed, Sirius and Jessi stood watching their daughter sleep with such sad expressions that Lexi would have cried if she had been awake to see them.
Suddenly Jessi gave a little gasp, and Sirius turned to her in surprise.
"Jess?" he asked with mild alarm.
"Sirius... she's wearing..."
"The Amulet of Slytherin!" gasped Sirius in shock, eyeing the glowing stone.
"Sirius… do you remember our fifth year… when Lil woke up screaming bloody murder that night?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well, I was awake that night, and before she started screaming she was singing to herself. The words…"
"What is it, Jess?"
Jessi opened her mouth and sang softly,
Daughter of a star of night,
shining in the darkness bright.
Strong of will, and heart, and mind,
A love she'll find of her own kind.
A weakness in the eyes of evil,
Shall hold her to a path so true,
Against the reign of evil,
that she must undo.
A boy of evil bearing, Struggles
Hard against his kin,
Hard against the ties of blood,
That run through veins within.
For the love of this one girl,
And hatred of another,
He shall give up all he knows,
Father, Lord, and Mother.
A modern day Romeo he shall be
With his fair brave Juliet,
A happier ending theirs shall be,
Though not without regret.
Sirius closed his eyes and muttered, "Lily's predictions always came true."
Jessi sighed and put her arm around her husband. "That's what I'm afraid of."
~*~
The next morning Lexi awoke to find everyone else clustered around in the room. All were asleep but Dumbledore, who stood over her gravely.
"Alexia, I need you to tell me what happened. And where you got the Amulet of Slytherin."
Lexi gulped. "They married us, Professor. They put us under the Crutatious Curse and married us. But... but Draco gave me this beforehand." She touched the necklace at her throat. "Why?"
"It's glowing," came Hermione's voice from across the room. She stepped out of the shadows holding her library book, open to the page on the Amulet. "It's glowing, Lex."
"Yeah, I know. So?"
"Read." Hermione handed her the book. Lexi scanned the page and knew immediately what they wanted her to see.
"Wow," she muttered, running her hands through her hair. "So THAT was the point..." her voice trailed off as she noticed her parents watching her. Dumbledore followed her line of vision and quickly ushered Hermione out of the room.
"Lexi."
"Mother," she responded softly in kind, head bent. "Father." She blinked back her tears.
Sirius sat on the end of the bed. "Lexi..."
"Father, you have no need to explain anything to me. I know everything."
"I'm glad. We've been searching for you... for a long time. I ... respect Severus and Janelle for not allowing you to be raised under false pretense."
"We've wanted to see you very much," Jessi murmured.
"I... wanted to see you, too..." Lexi trailed off.
~*~*~
"Damn it!" Voldemort punched the wall. "How did she escape?"
"Peace, Tom," Leona whispered. "She swore an oath that she would give us her child, and do so she will... if we must obtain it the way we obtained HER.
~I think I have a plan.~
~A plan? What kind of plan?~
~ One that involves a deal so you get out of here, and another plan to get me out.~
~WHAT?~ Draco screeched in her head, but she had already shut him out.
"Hey, Voldie..." she began, "Let's make a deal."
"A deal?" he asked, eyebrows raised.
"Yeah. You let Draco go... alive... and I'll stay without a fuss."
"Now, how does that benefit me? You need to... breed, persay."
"Ok, so then, if I'm NOT pregnant, I'll swear to give you the baby when I have one."
Voldemort snorted. "Now, why would you do that?"
She looked him square in the eye. "To get away from you."
"And how do I know you won't back down on your promise?"
"I'm a Gryffindor. We don't break promises."
Voldemort thought about it, then finally nodded. "Very well. Narcessa!"
"M'Lord."
"Deliver to boy to Dumbledore... well, not intact, but close enough not to make a difference," he waved his hand dismissively.
"What? LEXI, DON'T DO THIS!" screamed Draco until Narcessa put the Full Body Bind on him.
~*~
"WAIT! Albus, you can't be serious," Jessi shrieked at Dumbledore.
Suddenly Hermione stood up and hauled Sephie to her feet. All attention was rooted on them. Sephie turned to face Hermie, and they placed the palms of their left hands together, their right ones on their hearts.
"What are you…" started Ron.
"Ron, shut up," barked Hermione tersely. They closed their eyes. Suddenly on the backs of their hands glowed the outlines of the scars on their palms.
"Lexi… Lexi, answer us, if you can… where are you?" asked Sephie clearly.
"Where are you?" echoed Hermione.
Suddenly Lexi's voice was in the room. "Herm? Seph? Is that you?"
"Yes."
"It worked!"
"We'll celebrate when you get back. Where are you?"
"In a room at Voldemort's lair."
"A room, or a cell?"
"A room. They let Draco go because I promised to stay for a little while… they had to taking him kicking and screaming." They could hear the loving exasperation in her voice. "I'm going to try it."
"Lex, no! You can't, it's far too advanced, and…"
"And you two are going to help boost my power so I can do this! There's no other way out."
"Lexi…"
"Hermione, DO IT!!!"
Hermie took a deep breath and together the twins sang a verse of Latin in a clear voice. Ally clutched her husband's arm in panic.
"No… oh, Remus, stop them!"
"I can't." His voice was heavy with pain. "We would do the same for Sirius or Jessi."
"But they're doing magic that could kill them!"
"Darling, as much as the words are sticking in my throat, I have to say that it's their decision."
Suddenly the twins collapsed onto the floor, gasping. Ron and George ran forward to catch them and help them back to their seats. After a few minutes Hermione gasped, "She did it… she's… a phoenix… She's coming back…" Then Hermione passed out beside an unconscious Sephie.
"What did they DO?" asked Harry in panic.
"Magic transfer. It's very advanced, and usually can only be done when touching the person, and then only if the intention is pure. They'll be fine," said Dumbledore quietly.
"Animagus…" whispered Sirius.
"Well, children of two Animagus parents tend to inherit the abilities themselves… but natural Animagi exert tremendous amounts of effort… and for Lexi to do it without a wand the first time… the idea itself is mind-boggling."
Sirius put his head in his hands. "God," he muttered. Dumbledore motioned for the others to leave, but Remus and Ally staunchly refused.
"No. Way."
"Ally…"
"No, Albus."
Suddenly there was a shout, and they ran outside. Draco was lying on the floor, beaten almost beyond recognition, and the others were staring at him in shock. Jessi ran forward and checked his pulse while shouting, "Get Poppy!!!!"
Harry was off like a shot. Sirius came forward and picked the boy up, handing him to Remus. They took off for the Hospital wing, Sirius transforming and racing along with the rest. Ron and George had Hermione and Sephie in their arms, taking them up as well.
About two hours later, Draco was still unconscious, and Sirius and Jessi had gone to take their turn eating. Everyone else was asleep but Hermione, and she was just about to nod off when an odd looking phoenix flew in. Its tail feathers were black and gold, and it had violet eyes.
"Lexi!" hissed Hermione.
Lexi changed back, looking haggard. They embraced quietly. Not even saying hello, she whispered, "Where is he?"
Hermione pointed wordlessly. Lexi turned around, and the little color in her face left at the sight of his beaten frame.
"Oh, cr-" She started to say this loudly, and immediately clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Lexi." She felt Hermione's hand on her shoulder and turned.
"We know."
"Hmm?"
"They KNOW." The compassion in Herm's voice was obvious.
"Oh my God." Lexi closed her eyes. Without opening them, she asked, "How'd they take it?"
"About the same as could be expected," a soft voice that wasn't Hermione's replied. Lexi's eyes flew open. A woman that could have been a taller Lexi's twin stood there, eyes filling with tears.
"Mother," whispered Lexi. In about two seconds she flew across the room into Jessi's arms. They hugged for a moment, and a large black dog barked for attention. Lexi smiled and knelt to hug him and drop a kiss on the top of his head. "Hello, father," she whispered.
Suddenly a groan came from Draco's room, and Lexi went to the doorway in a shot.
"Draco," she whispered.
"Lex?" asked Draco feebly.
She entered the room swiftly and sat next to his bed. He tried to smile at her, and it took almost all his strength to squeeze her hand reassuringly.
"I'm fine," he said, covering the pain as well as could be expected, even from Draco.
"Like hell you are," she said with surprising anger. She smoothed the hair back from his forehead and said more softly, "What in the name of Merlin were you THINKING, fighting them like that?"
"That's just it," he said, coughing slightly. "I wasn't."
She laughed slightly. "I forgot you tend not to think a lot."
"That's only cause I'm around you; you do enough thinking for the both of us," he joked weakly.
"Very funny. Who did this?"
"Who do you think? My father and his lackeys."
"Oh, when I get my hands on…"
"Yeah, ok. You kill him for me. Right now, I couldn't hit a gnat with enough force to kill it."
She suddenly looked stern and worried at the same time. "You go back to sleep," she ordered. "No more flirting."
"But I enjoy flirting with nurses like you; it's the only fun I get."
"Can't flirt if you're dead."
"Try telling that to Moaning Myrtle," said Harry as he came in.
"I don't recall asking for your presence here, Potter," said Draco without any real malice.
"That's odd; neither do I," he replied with a laugh. He handed a bottle to each of them.
"What's this?" they asked at the same time. Harry pointed to Lexi and then the other bed in the room. She was already shaking her head violently.
"Oh, no. I can't sleep now."
"You can and you will," Draco said firmly. "If I have to sleep, so do you."
"Fine." Much as she hated to admit it, sleep looked REALLY good right about now.
"Good. Count of three?"
"Agreed. One."
"Two."
"Three." They both downed the glittering potion at the same time, and almost immediately they fell asleep.
Door closed, Sirius and Jessi stood watching their daughter sleep with such sad expressions that Lexi would have cried if she had been awake to see them.
Suddenly Jessi gave a little gasp, and Sirius turned to her in surprise.
"Jess?" he asked with mild alarm.
"Sirius... she's wearing..."
"The Amulet of Slytherin!" gasped Sirius in shock, eyeing the glowing stone.
"Sirius… do you remember our fifth year… when Lil woke up screaming bloody murder that night?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well, I was awake that night, and before she started screaming she was singing to herself. The words…"
"What is it, Jess?"
Jessi opened her mouth and sang softly,
Daughter of a star of night,
shining in the darkness bright.
Strong of will, and heart, and mind,
A love she'll find of her own kind.
A weakness in the eyes of evil,
Shall hold her to a path so true,
Against the reign of evil,
that she must undo.
A boy of evil bearing, Struggles
Hard against his kin,
Hard against the ties of blood,
That run through veins within.
For the love of this one girl,
And hatred of another,
He shall give up all he knows,
Father, Lord, and Mother.
A modern day Romeo he shall be
With his fair brave Juliet,
A happier ending theirs shall be,
Though not without regret.
Sirius closed his eyes and muttered, "Lily's predictions always came true."
Jessi sighed and put her arm around her husband. "That's what I'm afraid of."
~*~
The next morning Lexi awoke to find everyone else clustered around in the room. All were asleep but Dumbledore, who stood over her gravely.
"Alexia, I need you to tell me what happened. And where you got the Amulet of Slytherin."
Lexi gulped. "They married us, Professor. They put us under the Crutatious Curse and married us. But... but Draco gave me this beforehand." She touched the necklace at her throat. "Why?"
"It's glowing," came Hermione's voice from across the room. She stepped out of the shadows holding her library book, open to the page on the Amulet. "It's glowing, Lex."
"Yeah, I know. So?"
"Read." Hermione handed her the book. Lexi scanned the page and knew immediately what they wanted her to see.
"Wow," she muttered, running her hands through her hair. "So THAT was the point..." her voice trailed off as she noticed her parents watching her. Dumbledore followed her line of vision and quickly ushered Hermione out of the room.
"Lexi."
"Mother," she responded softly in kind, head bent. "Father." She blinked back her tears.
Sirius sat on the end of the bed. "Lexi..."
"Father, you have no need to explain anything to me. I know everything."
"I'm glad. We've been searching for you... for a long time. I ... respect Severus and Janelle for not allowing you to be raised under false pretense."
"We've wanted to see you very much," Jessi murmured.
"I... wanted to see you, too..." Lexi trailed off.
~*~*~
"Damn it!" Voldemort punched the wall. "How did she escape?"
"Peace, Tom," Leona whispered. "She swore an oath that she would give us her child, and do so she will... if we must obtain it the way we obtained HER.