The Encounter
By: EckoStalker
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter and crew. J.K. Rowling does.
But the plot and Alexis are mine! You can't have them!... MINE... MINE!!!!!!!!!!!! Mwahahahaha!!! ......sorry, got a little out of control there. --coughs distractedly-- Anyways, yeah. There you go. Oh, and Artimis is my accomplice's, Deep Shadows.
Author's Notes: This is a spin-off story from The Misfit Adventures of Alexis and Artimis. It has nothing to do with the main story plot thingamajigger. I wrote it on my own time, without Deep Shadows.
Oh, and if you were wondering, I got almost the whole idea from a kind of disturbing dream I had the night before... couldn't get the stupid thing out of my head, so I decide to make it into a story.
Hope you enjoy it. Please R&R! --puppy dog eyes, tear running down cheek-- hehehe...
- EckoStalker
It was one of those nights that seemed to hold an air of foreboding. Though quiet and serene, there lingered a hidden message beneath the peacefulness.
Alexis Whyte was prancing down the almost vacant hall, backwards, in a cheerful mood; hoping to bowl someone over. It was a rare occasion where she was actually alone, her mischievous companion Artimis Callabella being caught up in other business. Probably snogging with Draco, Alexis thought evilly. Then the thought struck her that she didn't know what she was doing. She stopped in mid-pounce, tripping over her feet in the process. She jumped up and looked around in confusion. I must have detention with someone tonight!? She wondered curiously. She glanced at a nearby clock and deemed it still early enough to wander around and find out.
Her first stop was the Transfiguration room, and Alexis popped her head wonderingly inside, spying Professor McGonagall at her desk.
"Um... excuse me Professor, but would you know if I had any detention with you tonight?" McGonagall gave one of her rare smiles and commented," Not tonight, Ms. Whyte. Maybe checking in with Professor Snape might help?"
Alexis grinned and spoke," Thanks Professor. See you tomorrow.' She scurried out of the room, leaving a smirking McGonagall to her work.
Alexis cheerfully scampered to the Potions Master's classroom; knocking before entering the cold, stone room.
Professor Severus Snape looked up irritably from his overcrowded desk, quickly stuffing a letter in his desk drawer. "Yes, Ms. Whyte?" he scowled impatiently.
"Sorry to disturb you, sir. I just wanted to know if I was scheduled for any detentions tonight, Professor." she asked casually, hoping for something to do." Surprisingly, no. But don't go thinking I'm going lenient, Ms. Whyte, You'll probably have one tomorrow." he stated, staring curiously at Alexis's slightly disappointed face.
"Thank you, sir." She slowly walked towards the door, then brightened at a sudden thought. Quickly, she ran into the hallway.
Snape watched her go with a sense of anticipation. He spoke hesitantly to himself," Why do I have a feeling that I'll be seeing her again all too soon?" Confused, he shook his head and went back to his letters.
Alexis sprinted down the hallway, her footsteps echoing into the nearby courtyard. Since she was alone and bored, there was no harm in paying her buddy Professor Lupin a visit. She skidded to a halt to see the DADA room door open wide. Curiosity getting the best of her, she peeks into the room." Professor Lupin? Anyone home?" she calls, looking through the classroom in confusion.
Desks were overturned and seemingly shoved out of the way, several beakers laying aside in shatters. It seemed to her as if someone was in a mighty rush to get out of there. She slowly picked her way through the mess, looking for any signs of Professor Lupin. She was staring to get a little worried.
Then she heard a few noises that sounded vaguely like running footsteps outside in the courtyard. Alexis bolts out the door just in time to see a fleeting shadow scurrying in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. A wisp of caution flitted through her mind, but vanished almost instantaneously as she gave in to the urge to follow.
She ran quietly but quickly through the courtyard and across the bridge, stopping short when catching sight of the dangerous Whomping Willow. Unnerved and seeing nothing, she was on the verge of turning back, when faintly she heard a harsh voice in the shadow of the irritable tree. The Willow gave a violent shudder, then froze in place; allowing a lanky, hunched figure to slip under it and into a small opening at the base of the trunk.
Again Alexis felt that irresistible pull she faced with every dangerous quest, and started towards the tree. She quickly extinguished the annoying little voice in her head that naggingly reminded her that if she got into any trouble, no one was there to help her, who's job was usually Artimis's.
She easily found the opening, and excitedly ventured inside; walking down a narrow, stone walkway. Up ahead she heard a few indistinct grunts and scramblings, and proceeded to follow. A few long moments later, she started coming across torn strips of light brown cloth, the pieces steadily growing larger. Too curious for her own health, she persisted onward. Soon the dusty floor revealed faint outlined of human footprints, but for some odd reason, became slightly disfigured as Alexis stubbornly ensued them. Now the first shreds of doubt leaked into her resolved mind. This is starting to get a bit freaky, she silently thought to herself. Up ahead, she saw a dim glimpse of moonlight and felt a bit more assured.
She as but a few feet from the opening of the tunnel-like hall when her foot splashed into a puddle of some sort. Confused, Alexis bent down for a closer look at the liquid. It was a bit warm and viscous. Cleary a manmade substance. She glanced around and noticed a cup of some sort tossed aside. She grasped it and stood up heading towards the dim light beyond the opening. She stepped into a spacious room-moldy and falling apart. It seemed as if inaudible moans and whispers of screams radiated from the seemingly swaying walls of the very old house.
Through a nearby window, the clouds slowly dispersed, allowing the filtered moonlight to give way to the glare of a bright, full moon. Alexis curiously looked down at the chalice she held in her hands. It was a bronze colored goblet of some sort, and looked strikingly similar to Professor Snape's own set. Hold on a minute, she thought-the tinge of fear creeping into her body, this looks exactly like the goblet that Professor Lupin uses to take his potion in on every... her eyes shot fearfully to the mockery of the full moon just as she hears a low, dog-like growl behind her.
She gradually spins around, her green eyes widening and her form growing tense as a huge man-like wolf stalks out from the surrounding shadows. Alexis vaguely recognizes it as a werewolf, and wondered even more dominantly if it had decided to chomp on her as a dog chews a bone. She got her answer in the form of a sorrowful but hungry howl-creepy enough to make Alexis jump in surprise. The werewolf stops and crouches back, ready to spring at her in full force.
Alexis finally registers the thought of escape, but a tad bit too late; for just as she turns, the werewolf lunges and falls on her back, knocking Alexis painfully to the wooden floor and digging it's razor sharp claws into the back of her trembling shoulders.
Alexis yelps in pain, desperately trying to reach her wand in the folds of her cloaks as the werewolf snarls loudly -ripping his claws out of her back and flipping her over. She yells again, staring into deep blue eyes that held a hint of familiarity to her, but is masked by the insatiable calling to destroy. Alexis yanks out her wand finally, and yells in anguish, "Impedimenta!"
The werewolf flies back -but not before being glanced by the spell -making him fall back in frozen anger. Alexis painfully stands up and quickly starts for the opening when she hears scrambling. She turns and witnesses the creature struggling to extract himself from the Immobilizing charm, and then backs up quickly, tripping over her torn robes as the werewolf lunges yet again. Seeing beside her a rickety, broken chair, Alexis seizes one of broken off leg pieces, swinging it up in front of her just as the werewolf's jaws close around it, inches from her face.
She could feel it's hot, fetid breath on her features and notices a small glint of surprise in the predator's eyes. Insignificant enough that the werewolf soon forgets it. They stare at each other, Alexis shaking in fear and pain and the werewolf standing quite still in calculation, briefly before slashing at her in a blind fury.
Alexis had managed to squirm out of the way of the flying claws for a few seconds , but was expectedly taken off guard. She came away with a gashed right arm and two bloody streaks trailing from her left ear to her chin. Alexis whimpered, almost breathless with exertion, as her eyes teared up in hopelessness.
The werewolf was fed up with this game and so clamped his jaws tighter around the chair leg. It splintered, and the wolf reared back; howling at the pain caused by many wooden spikes lodged in his mouth. Furious, he lifted Alexis off the floor, throwing her like a rag doll into the nearest door. She fell in, the door collapsing upon her in a cloud of dust.
The beast flailed about, clawing at his swollen jaws. Unnoticed, Alexis crawled slowly out from under the broken door, grimacing and favoring her ankle. She made it to the opening for the dark tunnel, sprawling inside and pulling close the poorly made slab used as a door over the opening; pointing her wand shakily and whispering in great effort ,"Colloportus!" She pulled herself up using the rough, stone wall, gasping at the pain of her sprained ankle and multiple other injuries. One thought lodged in her mind, Find Artimis. For some reason, that was all she wanted to do.
So, Alexis limped and stumbled her way back down the tunnel, hoping upon hope that the scratching and growls growing quieter behind her wouldn't give way to the triumphant howls indicating he was on her trail.
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Alexis must have zoned out, for the next thing she knew, she was slowly pulling herself along the short, stonewall of the courtyard towards the stairs that led to the Slytherin House. From far behind her in the direction of the woods, she heard a faint, short howl. Alexis proceeded on in fear, trying to increase her pace.
She stopped at the top of the stairs, glancing down as she breathed in shallow gasps. Down below, Professor Snape was stalking toward the same stairs; he looked up as he reached the first step, and jolted to a stop -staring in amazement up at Alexis's torn and bloodied form. Behind Alexis, Artimis Callabella walked out of a nearby vacant classroom with Draco in tow. Her usually neat braid was lopsided and disheveled, and her uncannily perfect application of what little makeup she wore was noticeably smeared. Draco didn't look much better. She was in the midst of straightening out her rumpled blouse when she noticed a swaying Alexis in front of her. "What the hell happened to you!?" she yelled in amazement, seeing Snape cautiously making his way towards them. "Miss...Miss Whyte?" he stammered, confusion and concern lacing his deep voice. Alexis slowly looked between the trio, stopping at Artimis. She faintly smiled and visibly relaxed upon seeing her, but that made Artimis all the more worried. She stepped towards her beaten friend, but jerked to a halt at the look of horror on Alexis's face. Alexis cried out, staring at something behind them, and stumbled back a step into Snape, who shockingly put out a hand to steady her. "Oh, not good..." Mumbled Alexis before she collapsed, unconscious, back into Professor Snape, who quickly and reluctantly caught her and lowered her carefully to the ground. Artimis, Draco, and Snape all turned to see what scared her. There, standing with his head lowered and fangs shining, was the other dreaded form of Professor Lupin.
Snape jumped up and swished around the group, brandishing his wand at the werewolf, and warning, "Lupin..." Artimis ran over to Alexis's side as Draco slowly backed away from the scene, a look of raw terror on his face. Artimis lifted Alexis to her lap, and glanced up at Draco. "Go get help!...Draco! Now dammit!'' She hollered at him, as he continued to back away. "You stupid coward! Go, before I Curse you!" she threatened, taking out her wand with her free hand. Draco jumped, turned, and bolted down the hallway towards McGonagall's classroom. Meanwhile, the werewolf started growling and slowly circled Snape, who was meticulously leading the beast slowly away from Alexis and Artimis. Artimis glanced down as Alexis feverishly murmured," I...I was j, just...curious...'' Artimis, confused, proceeded to help a semi-conscious Alexis to a sitting position. Carefully and almost effortlessly, she lifted her small friend into her arms, turning to Snape, a look of worry on her features. He commanded from the edge of the courtyard as the werewolf tauntingly jumped at him," Callabella! Take Alexis and leave. Now!" Without a second thought, Artimis gracefully turned and dashed down the hall towards the Infirmary.
"Fancy meeting y,you here...Artimis..." Alexis mumbled, eyes open to a slit, her blood starting to stain Artimis's blouse. "Shut up you...you, suicidal twit. We're getting help, so shoosh." Artimis commanded, tears slipping down her cheek as she viewed her friend's state. Behind her, she heard a pronounced scuffle, and Snape's voice shouting, "Expelliarmus!" followed by a half bark, half shriek. Artimis hurried on, trying to block out everything.
She burst into the Infirmary, skidding past Dumbledore as he whisked past her, apparently to aid Professor Snape. Madame Pomfrey bustled up behind him as Draco scurried in from the hall, McGonagall flew past him and followed Dumbledore towards the sounds of a battle.
"Albus told me I'd be seeing you two shortly. Quick, set her on a bed." she ordered, wheeling up a small cart carrying some Potions and bandage material. Artimis obeyed, gently laying her companion in the nearest bed and stepping back, hugging Draco for comfort. Madame Pomfrey conducted a quick scan and concluded, "She didn't get bitten, thank goodness...but I should put her to sleep before cleaning these wounds. Malfoy, fetch me a sleeping draught." spoke Madame Pomfrey as she carefully took off Alexis's outside cloak. Artimis stepped up to Alexis, who looked up wearily as Draco returned with a flask.
"S, sorry. I j...just wanted to, to..."
"Go to sleep, you git. I'll see you later." Artimis silenced her, patient enough to wait for an explanation later. Alexis gave a small smile as Madame Pomfery helped Alexis
drink the potion. She lay back, smirking a bit at Artimis as she drifted into a dreamless slumber.
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"Shut up! She was up half the night as it is!"
"Excuse me, but that wasn't MY fault."
"You both quarrel like you're married."
"Maybe you two should get married."
"Shut your trap, Weasley!"
These comments bombarded Alexis as she calmly opened her eyes. Above her stood several blurred forms. As her vision cleared, she saw that the two on her left were Artimis and Draco. Two shocks of bright red hair indicated who the other two were.
"You all have a problem with shutting up." Alexis spoke softly as four heads turned in her direction. Fred and George Weasley smiled widely, Fred commenting," That was amazing!"
"Bloody brilliant!" George added.
"Taking on a full blooded werewolf like that."
"We're amazed you didn't get bitten!"
They spoke in turns, eyes sparkling at the thought of the story of last night's events.
"Brilliant, you think?! Getting torn to pieces, then putting me in danger of it!? Damn STUPID!" Artimis scolded loudly, glaring at the Twins and Alexis both. Draco stood behind her, quietly thinking. "Well, it was interesting..." he said softly as Artimis turned on him like a grizzly. "You shut up!"
The Twins leaned closer to Alexis. Fred whispering," She's been testy all morning."
"We think it's because she missed out on It." spoke George matter-of-factly.
Alexis giggled quietly as she watched Artimis visually berate Draco.
"Well, we must be on our way..." (George)
"Have to check up on the other teams..." (Fred)
"But this little event has put you ahead of them considerably, as long as there's no permanent harm done..." (George)
" Glad to see you're still able to talk, Alexis. He could've ripped out you're throat..."(Fred)
With this little tidbit lingering uncomfortably in Alexis's mind, they took their exit; 'borrowing' a few potions from the cabinet on the way out.
Draco looked guiltily at Artimis, then quickly at Alexis. "Well, see you later. Got homework to catch up on..." he excused himself, slinking towards the doors under a stern glare from Artimis.
"You really must lighten up a bit." Alexis added in, watching her. Barely paying attention, Artimis confessed, still watching Draco," He only came because I told him to, you know. What a jerk."
Alexis shrugged," I don't care. I'm only glad cause you came."
"Well, of course I'd come. You're my buddy. Stupid and suicidal, but my friend."
Artimis commented, as Alexis paled out a bit in shame. "And now; what were you thinking!? Following and almost getting killed by a werewolf was not one of the ways to earn points for this whole scheme!"
"like I was to know I was following a werewolf, Artimis." Alexis countered, trying to explain. They glared at each other, Alexis bowing out first due to unavoidable pangs of guilt. Just then, Professor Lupin ran in, quickly making his way towards Alexis.
"Oh dear. Alexis, you're okay, right? I didn't bite you did I? I'm so sorry..." Lupin stuttered frantically, grabbing her hand and scanning her over. Alexis smiled and spoke," No, professor. I'm f..."
"Cause if I did bite you, I'd never forgive myself..."
"Professor, you didn't..."
"Should've left after the last class. Forgot to take my Potion earlier. Please forgive me..."
"PROFESSOR!" Alexis shouted, shaking him, then wincing at her bandaged arm. Lupin quickly shut up, but pushed her back onto the bed in concern. Artimis looked on in amusement. "I shouldn't have followed. It wouldn't have happened then. Are you alright?" Alexis questioned, noticing his ragged appearance and several deep cuts on his face. "I'm fine. You need to be asked that."
"I've already told you I was fine." Alexis grinned, happy that she had people who cared about her. So, this is what it'd be like to have a father. Alexis thought, almost tearing up. Wow, it rocks.
"Alexis? You okay?" Artimis asked, noticing the sad expression her friend's eyes. "Yeah, no prob. Just thinking."
Again, an unexpected visitor arrived. Oh, yippee. Alexis thought -though not too depressed, knowing that he had helped them- watching as Professor Snape, with a long, deep scratch across his face, and a bandaged wrist, sauntered through the doors and up to the group. "Ms. Whyte, I conclude you are well enough for visitors?" Snape sneered. Lupin quietly stood up, and spoke," Well, I must leave for class. I'm relieved you are alright. Please, visit me later Alexis." He turned, smiled at Snape, and started on his way.
Snape continued,'' I spoke with the Headmaster and expressed that you were most likely ignorant to the fact that you were following a werewolf. Am I correct, Ms. Whyte?" Alexis nodded, speechless.
"However, you will still be receiving many detentions -the BOTH of you- as soon as you are fully recovered. You for leaving school grounds after dark, and you, Artimis, for other reasons." Artimis blushed, fully aware that Snape knew those few reasons.
"Do you understand?"
They both nodded in unison, then Alexis cleared her throat, getting Snape's attention.
"Um, sir? uh...thank,Th....." Alexis stuttered, trying to say it. She didn't have to. Snape nodded, understanding. He added quietly," I'd appreciate if you'd keep such stuff quiet, Ms. Whyte." Then he turned, and stalked off.
"Whoa, he stood up for me. And for all of us." Alexis whispered to herself, shocked.
"Should I be scared? I have the feeling I should be..." Artimis spoke, also amazed. They looked at each other, and laughed aloud. Both cheering up at the fact that things weren't turning out too bad after all.