Seven Years Later...
Chapter 7
"Finding Out Who You Are"

Author's Note: Hold your nose, we're diving in! Hehehe...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Artimis awoke in a soft bed, which disturbed her. Her eyes flashed open and her eyes darted around fearfully.

Surrounded by deatheaters in disguise again... She thought angrily as she glanced at Alexis sleeping deeply beside her, Remus and Ron sleeping nearby in chairs, Severus sleeping in a corner, and Draco sleeping on the couch.

''Hmm...To kill them now, or find out how many there are altogether?" She asked herself. In her mind, these were all deatheaters, trying to get her to transport to the real Manor Dela Loyalty, but she would not fall for it. Her family had died for that secret, a secret she would keep if only for the sake of their memory, and these people had killed them.

She decided to stake out the place first, that's what Alexis would have done.

She walked down the stairs slowly, marveling at how made this pseudo-manor was. She traveled to the lounge and noticed broken glass from the once beautiful mirror. Walking over it calmly and curiously, she traced her hands over the edge of the couch, wishing all this was real. She spotted a piano, and made her way over towards it in wonder. Too bad it wasn't her piano. She sat down on it and played a chord, and it sung beautifully in her ears.

'Hmm... interesting..." She whispered as she began to play. She let the music flow from her fingers, playing her sorrow, her loneliness; and for once in her life, the music made her feel like she was no longer alone. She rocked with the music, ignoring the pain in her back, ignoring the hushed whispers of her watchers, her tormentors she thought. She was totally enveloped in the music, nothing could break her from it's trance.

---------------------

Alexis awoke to a sound that she didn't hear too often, or from anyone else beside one person. She gingerly sat up, the room empty besides Severus, who sat, wide awake, in his corner staring at her.

Uneased, Alexis stared back at him and asked in confusion, "Severus? You ok?"

"Yours and her mother... man, those two would drive me nuts with the clothes talks, I mean, bugger off... jeesh, now I get stuck with their kids too... This is why I hate kids..." He mummbled.

"Ooookayyy. And I thought I was losing it. Night night Severus." Alexis spoke softly to herself, snickering and slowly leaving the room.

She followed the source of beautiful music to the lounge, where she saw the old piano occupied by none other of Artimis. Her heart swelled with happiness, but was soon clouded by the feeling of unrecognition radiating from Artimis.

The music she played was familiar, and she realized it was their song. The one they wrote together when they had first bought the Manor. She gazed around at everyone surrounding them, looking for the something that called to her. And there it stood out on the far wall, beckoning her, her violin.

It suddenly struck her that she knew exactly what to do.

Calmly, she walked over and lovingly took it down from its perch, resting it comfortably under her chin as she drew the bow gently over the shiny strings. She turned to the piano, and her fingers finding the chords to the song instinctively as she walked to Artimis's side where she played.

-------------------------

Artimis was enraptured in her music, playing to her what her soul wished to play. She imagined that she had an accompanying violin. The tune was sweet and gentle, and it so reminded her of her dear Alexis. Then, she knew she heard the violin. She played, and the violin kept the song. As the music continued, her fingers dancing upon the keys on their own, she shook her head, images flashing through her mind. She saw Alexis throw her lamp, break the mirror, and Severus drop tea. She saw Draco glare at Alexis, and Alexis screaming to find Artimis. All these and more dashed recklessly through her strained mind.

Suddenly, it all made sense. It came to her like a bolt of lightning.

Artimis had been backwards. The people who had died for her silence were the imposters. Her friends were still alive, she wasn't alone. And as suddenly as the music came to her, it stopped, and she blacked out, falling back into Draco's expecting arms.

------------------------

Alexis closed her eyes, lost in the music as she continued playing. It wasn't until she realized the piano had finally stopped that she opened her eyes and finished the last chord gracefully.

She heard a soft murmur, "Alexis..."

She spun around, gazing down at Artimis in Draco's arms. Artimis up looked at Alexis and tears filled her eyes.

''Thank god. I thought... You were... You all were..." Artimis mumbled joyfully, voice cracking.

Alexis cut her off as she smothered her in a bear hug, crying brokenly into her shoulder.

"Air...Pain... Suffering... Need to breathe... OW OW OW!" Artimis spoke chokedly.

"Well, you can deal with it for a bloody moment..." Alexis choked out through her tears, though lessening her grip.

"I've dealt with it for more than ONE bloody moment... Trust me..." She spoke in a calm, almost hurt tone.

Alexis let go reluctantly and sat back on her heels, looking her over tearfully, her eyes picking out a marking of sorts. She reached out and pulled out Artimis's arm, registering it as a branding mark. She looked up at Draco, eyes full of rage. Alarmed, he looked down. On Artimis's arm was a elegant M, a snake weaving in and out of it with a L going through it. Fury filled Draco's eyes and body as he registered what it was as well.

"When's the next scheduled fight?" Alexis hissed quietly, mind churning with weirdly pleasant thoughts of a certain Lucius Malfoy's torture. Draco looked at Artimis and spoke quickly, "As soon as I find his ass." Artimis rolled her eyes and moaned.

"Hello, hurt person. Care for me. Tell me you love me, something!" Artimis spoke quietly. Alexis laughed and Draco kissed her.

"Greedy, aren't we." Alexis spoke jokingly but fondly.

"Don't even, after what I just went through, I deserve some pampering." Artimis spoke. "Does anybody know where Serverus is?" she questioned.

" I know where the Good Professor is." Alexis spoke amusingly.
Wait, before I see him I would like some clean clothes and um, some medical treatment, if that's not being toooo greedy..." Artimis chided.

"Oh, shut up." Alexis scolded good naturedly. Artimis reached up and Alexis went to hoist her up, but Draco wouldn't let go.

"Honey, let go." Artimis asked sweetly, and Alexis snickered.

"I don't wanna let you go. I never wanna leave you again." He spoke in her ear and she smiled.

"That's nice. Let me go.'' Artimis demanded, getting up gingerly and kissing his cheek.

-----------------------------

Severus walked down the stairs cautiously as Artimis and Alexis were heading up them slowly. He froze in mid-step when he saw them, all three quiet for a moment as they stared at each other in wary caution. Alexis went to say something, but was cut off as Severus yelled in squeaky fear, "I don't want to be here! I want my Mommy!" Then, he turned and bolted back up the stairs.

Artimis and Alexis looked at each other, then cracked up, leaning against the wall as they fought for breath, tears of laughter clouding their vision.

After picking themselves up off the floor in their amusement, Artimis then let Alexis help her to her room and Alexis and Hailey bandaged her up, starting on everyone else as well. Everyone was overly glad that Artims was home, semi-sane and alive, but all somehow knew that this was just the beginning of something major.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EckoStalker: Yes, the begining of the end... bwhahahaha
Deep Shadows: Lay off the chocolate... snatchs it away
EckoStalker: whines Fine, Hope you all are ready for the darkness before the light.
Deep Shadows: Shut up before you give it away. Toodles all.