Chapter 7 Part 2
The Fires Within
By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

Author's Note: This is a Pivital Chapter. Pay attention to details, We'll try to make the more important one in your face.
Deep Shadows: MRS.NORRIS IS A ANIMAGI I TELL YOU!!!! (waves hands franically)
EckoStalker: She believes it so its in the story. (sigh)

Artimis awoke with two things in mind... One, she had to piss.... Two, the place was too cool to be her dorm. She rolled over to see Alexis sleeping, dead passed out, beside her, and the events came back to her. She got up cursing, and summoned a change of clothing. Then she ventured out the door sealing it behind her as she found a bathroom. After relieving her first and foremost need, she returned to the room and shook her head disdainfully. The party got out of control... Next time we bring chaperones! The she took one look at Alexis's totaled, messy form -and her smirking unconsciously about it in sleep- and figured she could, and very much should, clean her up without waking her. So she set about moving Alexis around, carefully undressing her, and putting her in clean robes. Then Artimis overcome with a deep desire to sleep, lie down and closed her eyes, falling into deep slumber.

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Lupin walked down the hallway sniffing the air slightly enough so as not to perturb his partner, looking about for the two missing girls. He hadn't noticed Artimis and Alexis's escape until he heard Alexis mumbling about her 'baby'. He laughed because he knew she meant chocolate syrup, but Snape just looked about curiously as if looking for an infant or such. Miranda Norris, being sure that all children were unconscious or delirious, and there were a lot of them, changed to her normal form.

"Professors, Could I have a word with you?" she spoke in a low, purring voice. They both turned around, startled, but then they realized it was just Mrs. Norris. So they relaxed, and quickly walked over. She sat them down, her yellow eyes scanning the room for awakening students. "This party started out seemingly innocent, but a few students decided that there would be more fun if it were ...spiced up. I personally was seeked out and thrown in here so I could not inform Argus." She stated calmly, her voice strangely calm with a hint of annoyance.

Snape looked about and nodded at her, and she suddenly was one again the cat they all knew and hated.

"Remus, who do you think were the few spicers, seeing as you have a nice history with mischief." Snape sneered. Lupin winced and looked around the room. "Low blow Severus, even for you. I think it could have been Apollo Callabella, Lee Jordan, Or Fred and George Weasley." He replied. Now he was being forced to walk the hallways with a stalking, sulking Snape, searching everywhere for Artimis and Alexis. Inwardly he knew that they would not find them for a couple days, them being the kind of girls who could fade completely if they wished, and apparently they wished it to be.

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Later That Evening...

Alexis lay uneasily in bed, shifting restlessly from place to place in the thick sleeping bag that covered her. Outside, the huge silently ticking clock glowed in the bright moonlight. It read 11:58 pm.

Beside her, Artimis lay peacefully, even a faint smile playing across her sleeping lips.

Still asleep, Alexis frowned, trying to push off the heavy, light green colored sleeping bag - the temperature had oddly risen several degrees. Painful incoherent wisps of past memories raced through her fevered head. Faces, black hooded figures, always dark and cold.

Artimis rolled over in her sleep, unconsciously pushing off her own covers. The room was indeed getting warmer. The giant clock in the courtyard now read 11:59 pm.

Alexis suddenly started trembling, ever so slightly. Her white hair was matted against her head with her own sweat - a dark shadow falling over her face. Her chest compressed, her breaths becoming fast and a bit labored. The memories were more intense now, burning in her mind- battles, fear and a deep respect, much anger. Anger that was now flooding into Alexis's body like a raging fever of hatred. The clock struck 12:00 am, and the first bong started.

Alexis twitched, her head pounding, all the thoughts crashing together and building into something...bad. Above her trembling body, indistinct green wisps flickered and danced, then disappearing just as quick as Alexis winced in pain. Her blood coursing through her veins felt as if caught on fire, spreading to all her limbs and making her flush a light pink; but strangely Alexis remained unconscious.

Artimis also remained sleeping, oblivious to all but the fact that it was getting very warm. Very fast.

Suddenly, Alexis went rigid, still shaking - her eyes beneath their lids darting all around. Her once calm breathing was now quick and shallow. The thoughts and memories bundled into a great mass and seemed almost ready to explode in her head. One last distant memory bubbled to the surface before all others - a cold, snake-like laughter, echoing agonizingly through her mind, seeming to speak of a soon fulfilled promise. The anger in her increased to unbearable heights. The clock stroked 12:01 am.

Alexis shuddered as a blinding green flash raced through her overworked mind, her undirected anger seething out from -it seemed- her entire body. From where she lay, green flames flared out suddenly - radiating from Alexis's body. In her, unknown rage at apparently nothing, the fire increased rapidly. The flames crawled across the floor and up the walls - soon engulfing the whole room in a bright green flickering fire.

But Alexis remained unconscious - ignorant to the event that this was even taking place. After a few seconds, the few strewn about papers and the edges of their unused blankets and pillows withered and blackened, singed finally by the magical flames.

Artimis remained strangely unburnt, vaguely aware that it was sweltering in the room. She awoke and sat up, semi-conscious, and stared around the room. Oh my God, Where the hell am I? She thought sluggishly- squinting at the green flames. She glanced at Alexis and noted that they were emanating from her rigid- almost convulsing form. Again she thought- not even half awake- This is truly the most disturbing dream I have ever had, DAMN who ever spiked the pudding! I know they did... With this hopefully convincing thought, Artimis rolled over and fell dead asleep.

Slowly, Alexis's unexplained anger ebbed, and her body relaxed. The flames gradually receded until they hovered, flickering eerily, over Alexis's perfectly untouched form; and leaving everything in the room covered in a very thin layer of soot and most objects slightly singed on the edges.

Alexis's breathing calmed, and she gradually stopped trembling. In a brief flash, the flames disappeared. Her mind cleared - oddly leaving a hollowed feeling. She still remained asleep.

In the silence of the school, the ancient clock held forever it's vigil- now showing 12:02 am.

Exactly one minute after Alexis's real birth fourteen years ago.

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Severus lay in bed, tossing and turning. He could not sleep, knowing fully well that those two lay in hiding in the castle. Grumpily he got up and placed his frock coat on, casting a spell that automatically buttoned it up for him. Grabbing one of his long midnight black cloaks, he distractedly proceeded to stalk about the castle. As he passed the great hall he looked up at the giant clock. 11:59 pm it read with its old forever-moving hands. He marched about the castle, heading to Gryffindor common room. Then he felt it; a great pain filled his forearm where the dark mark lay hidden under his sleeves. He fell to his knees in great agony. Looking around he saw a flash of green light from under a door and rose to his feet unsteadily, praying it was not what he thought it was. He clutched his arm and walked forward, the pain increasing, as he got closer to the door. Placing his hands on the door he felt a great heat and he felt as if he were under a Crucio. Collapsing at the door he lay there prone, hoping that no one would find him this way. Then, as suddenly as it had began the pain left him. He stood, shaken, and tried the door handle. It was magically locked so he simply cast the opening charm. He pulled the door open half expecting to come face to face with Lord Voldemort himself, instead he glimpsed upon a sleeping Artimis next to Alexis, who had green flames dancing over her. Then with a quick inhale the flames drew themselves into her. He looked about and noted that everything in this room was singed. For a moment, Severus stood frozen, unable to think about anything in his awe.

He then quickly walked over to them, checking both for breathing and heartbeat. Both seemed well and alive, but upon touching Alexis, his dark mark tingled, something it only did when encountering a fellow death eater. He quickly and fearfully pulled his wand and grasp Alexis's wrists, studying her arms. Performing every Revealing charm known to wizarding kind, he, in relieved anxiety, laid her arms carefully at her side and proceeded to go sit in a chair. At least I know where they are... he thought disturbed as he leaned back and watched them silently from shadows.

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Alexis became conscious, her eyes remaining closed. Remembering only flashes, strobing lights, cake, and a lot of chocolate. Why do I hate chocolate now.... and what the hell was in that punch!?... Well, it wasn't that bad... Then she noticed that, she wasn't in jeans anymore. Confused, she felt where her tee shirt should be and instead found the silky cloth of her school cloaks. What the hell...wait, why bother with asking.... She painfully opened her eyes and the first sight she saw, was Snape, bent over her curiously.

She looked at him for one second, and then frantically sat up, scooting back away from him and crawling onto Artimis in the meantime.

Artimis yelled, "Pudding?" and sat up. Then, noticing she was about to be trampled by Alexis, she grabbed her and said, "Stop making the room move you lout." Then she peered toward what to her should have been empty air, but Professor Snape instead filled it. She flopped down on the floor, "NOT YOU AGAIN! I just got you out of my freaking head!" she sighed. Alexis looked to her and said "What do you mean ...again?"

Artimis smirked and said, "He was just in here, but he was in a green frilly dress and was dancing with a midget Dumbledore. They were making so much racket I hit them with a bookcase and went back to sleep." With that Snape chuckled. Alexis looked at her with the "Your-joking-because-if-your-not-I'm-gonna-be-sick-look." Snape withdrew a potion from his cloaks and walked toward Artimis. She stood abruptly and snarled angrily in a voice not her own. "Come near me you git, and I will castrate you!" with that she turned and abruptly fell to the floor. Alexis shivered as Artimis's voice rasped in the same one that she had used in her sudden attack of the bathroom. Artimis started snoring. Snape looked very confused and quite affronted. A student had threatened him in a manner he had never been threatened by one before. Shrugging he called out "Lupin, I know you can hear me. Come in and stop snickering!" With that a red-faced Lupin walked in the door and bust out in laughter.

"Remus, This is not the time." Snape snarled. With that Lupin carefully approached Artimis, prodding her with his foot. Then he looked to Severus and chuckled "Hangover!" Then with that he picked Artimis up and walked toward the Health ward. Snape glared at Alexis, briskly handing her the potion. This time she took it without a struggle. She found she could stand and walked out the door, Snape following. A strange attraction drew her to Snape and it was not one that she liked at all. She held herself a good distance from him as he slowly walked behind her.

SORRY HAD TO PUT SNAPE IN A DRESS!
COULDN'T RESIST THE WHOLE THING WAS TO FUNNY.