Slytherin Honor Duel
Chapter 3
"Mother's Outfit "
By: Deep Shadows

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Mwhahaha.

Artimis trained all lunch period till it was time for potions. Potions class went fairly well considering Alexis did not blow up this potion. Artimis was so nervous about the event at hand that she had to focus all her energy to that potion, the precision of it, the moment, and the perfect temperature, anything to keep her mind off of Pansy Parkinson. A duel of Honor... Of the house of Snakes... One will lose it all... One will keep the stakes... A life of loneliness... A life of pride... Only a night duel will decide. She had memorized that code since she was little. A Slytherin Honor Duel was one of the highest traditions. No must focus... Eye of skrewt... three quills of a deceased porcupine... add at the moment it begins to boil... Alexis was looking at Artimis oddly, as was everyone else. She was hunched over the cauldron, mumbling the directions and Snape had even asked her something and she ignored him. Alexis finally nudged her and Artimis spun around, "What? Can't you see I'm concentrating here?" Alexis giggled and pointed at the potion. Artimis looked at it and sighed, for it was finished and Artimis had been still working on it. She smiled and looked at it closely. "Hey Alexis, It's like it's supposed to be. We didn't blow it up." She said noting the color was indeed a milky white hue. Professor Snape made everyone take a sample of their own potion and Artimis knew why it was call the Invigoratus Potion. After taking it her and Alexis had to focus on sitting still. Class ended and Artimis and Alexis surprisingly had their potion up with Hermione's. Alexis dragged Artimis off to more training. After an hour of Artimis dodging spells it was decided that food was needed. They skipped down the hallway towards the great hall when they ran into a bunch of Slytherins. Pansy stepped out in the crowd. "Alexis go ahead of me. I have business to attend to." Artimis said as walked towards Pansy.

Pansy smiled and asked with a sicken sweet tone, "Do you have a second yet? Your little lion pet can't help you."

"Yes, I do Pansy. And it is not Alexis." Artimis replied in an equally sweet tone. Artimis smiled as the rest of the Slytherins whispered among themselves.

"Who is your second?" Parkinson demanded. Artimis decided it best to wait till the last moment to reveal that information. "As I told you before, Parkinson. Wouldn't you like to know? You will find out when the time comes. Now move" Artimis sneered and shoved past a stunned Pansy. She stalked off towards the Great Hall, fuming and nervous and not really wanting to eat. She stormed in just before the Slytherins and Alexis raised an eyebrow at her. Artimis smiled and moved her head towards the High Table and Alexis nodded. Artimis ate dinner in silence. Once she ate enough to simply keep her alive she got up and walked over to Alexis's table. Fred and George smiled, as did Artimis's brother Apollo. "Alexis. I need your help. I need you to show me something." Artimis said nudging Alexis. Alexis went "Ohhh all right" and got up. Apollo reached in his pocket and handed Artimis something. Artimis looked it over and it appeared to be a piece of green cloth. "You know to activate it sis. Happy Early Birthday, Don't get yourself killed." Apollo said smiling. She gave him a quick hug and quickly grabbed Alexis and dragged her off to work of the nervous energy.

They spent an hour just talking, because that was how Artimis liked venting energy. At about eight thirty Artimis activated the square cloth that Apollo had given her. It extended out to a beautiful dueling uniform, like the ones the Aurors wore. It was emerald green and there was a large silver snake wrapping around the entire thing. Alexis helped Artimis fasten all the clasps and it fit Artimis to form. The tail of the silver snake wrapped around her right leg and the body went up around her waist till the head went around her back and over her shoulder to sit on her left breast. She was a vision in it. A true Slytherin. Alexis stood in awe, admiring the handiwork of it and exclaiming, "Apollo must have spent a small fortune on you."

"No. These were my mothers." Artimis said tears rimming her eyes as she fingered the smaller snakes around the cuffs. She quickly tied her hair up with a silver and black clasp and retrieved her wand from her school robes. She found the slit in the sleeve intended for her wand and put her wand where it belonged.

"Um... Artimis... We have a guest." Alexis stammered as Snape walked in quickly and quietly. He said nothing, just looked at Artimis in what seemed to be wonder. Alexis in turn admired his outfit, but restrained herself from doing what she had to Artimis and trace the designs. Snape was in a black form fitting Duelist outfit, and it had small snakes of silver over it. Spiffy... Oh my goodness... Snape looks Spiffy! Artimis looked at the clock and quickly grabbed her black cloak which to keep her snake from glowing. Artimis hugged Alexis and looked to Snape, who nodded, and took off without words, which Alexis found odd, very odd.

Artimis moved down the corridors quietly hiding in the shadows, her cloak helping make her fade. She reached the trophy room and saw that every member of the Slytherin House was there. Pansy stood and snickered. "Where's your second? Did you forget to get one?" Artimis stepped forward into the door as Snape entered. Pansy shrieked "squealer" and proceeded to run off.

"Ms. Parkinson. Leave this room and you lose the duel. You know the rules." He said removing his own black cloak and tossing it to the side.

"He can't be your second! He's a teacher." She stated hands on her hips. Artimis snickered and replied, "There are no rules on whom can be a part of the duel, all it says is they must be of the house of Snakes. Professor Snape is head of the house and therefore can be my Second." A rush of whispers filled the group of Slytherins sitting around the room. Pansy, in her purple robes, got back up on the makeshift dueling platform and Artimis suppressed laughing at it. "You didn't build that did you? Here allow me." With a flick of her wrist and arm, her cloak was off to the side as she summoned her own platform which was up to par. Everyone gasped at her outfit in awe as she stood up on it. The silver snake of her outfit glowed radiantly as if the light was coming from it, not the candles all around the room.

"Now, I do not know how much of the rules you know, so in order to keep tradition I will explain it." Snape said, stepping to the middle of the platform. Pansy's second, a small third year girl with ivory skin and olive eyes stood behind Pansy, listening carefully to the rules to the tradition of a Slytherin Honor Duel.
What do you think? Should I go into more details about the rules or just have them go at it. I am definitly gong to go into more detail about Snape 'form-fitting' outfit later for those of you who are going "awe man. No details."

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!! Toodles {Deep Shadows}