A/N: I know this chapter took a while, but I did some backtracking and redoing. I would really appreciate some reviews. I could use the input. I think I like this chapter, maybe it's just because we're finally getting somewhere. Well, I hope you enjoy.

Phoenix Bride :-)

Chapter 6: Feast or Falter

Once in the hallway, in front of the large stone gargoyle, Ginny turned to Ellexia and asked, "Ellexia, is it?" offering a handshake as she questioned.

"Yes," Ellexia replied shyly, shaking the girl's hand.

Ginny took this very short reply as a challenge to get the girl to speak. "So, it must be difficult starting over at a new school, is Hogwarts much different than your old school?"

"Yeah, a lot." She replied looking at the girl, and realizing she was not going to give up the onslaught of questions very easily. "Everything is much more interesting here."

"Really? I guess I've been here so long it's not as exciting as it used to seem. I still remember my first day here though, it was pretty scary, everything seemed much bigger back then," She said with a chuckle. "Don't worry though, I'll explain everything you need to know. You will fit in right away, believe me." Ginny insisted.

"We will see." Ellexia muttered in doubt.

"We better hurry down, don't want to be late for the sorting." Ginny suggested, turning to walk toward the main staircase. Ellexia followed her, hoping for an end to the questioning.

To Ellexia's relief their trip was, for the most part, silent. When Ginny did speak it was mostly explaining what things were and warning of the castle's little tricks, like false steps that looked normal but would let your foot fall through it, getting you stuck. It just made the school more incredible. Eagleseye would never have anything that interesting, they frowned upon anything remotely different or fun. For the most part the castle was deserted and quiet, that was until they were near the Great Hall. Once they had stepped off the main staircase into the Entrance Hall, they could hear the excited chattering of all the students. This noise made Ellexia's stomach turn to stone, she couldn't imagine how many people were in there, and it sounded like thousands. She froze, her feet stuck where they were, as if she had fallen into a trick step.

Ginny noticed the lack of footsteps behind her and turned around, "Are you okay?" Ginny asked, with a tone of concern. She saw that Ellexia's face had turned stark white as if drained of all its blood. "You should have a seat," she suggested as she grabbed Ellexia's arm and guided her to the step just behind her. "What's wrong, are you going to be sick?" Ginny was caught so off guard, she didn't know if she should stay there or run for help. "Can you speak, say something, please?" Ginny asked her in a slight panic.

Ellexia looked at the girl with a terrified look in her eyes, her heart pounded hard against her ribcage and she could not seem to catch her breath. She was hyperventilating and tears began streaming from her eyes. To the girl's pleading looks, all she could muster was a shake of her head, and then she laid it on her knees and wrapped her arms around her head, trying to disappear. Her body shook in tremors and she rocked back and forth trying any means to comfort herself. Things were only getting worse, her gasping became louder and louder and she felt and if the world was closing in on her.

Ginny saw all this and didn't know what to do, she put a hand on Ellexia's back and leaning down to her ear spoke quickly, "I am going for help, don't move, I'll be back in a minute. Please try to calm down." Ginny turned and ran into the Great Hall; she was on the verge of tears herself.

The hall had just quieted at the announcement for the beginning of the sorting ceremony, when the doors flew open and Ginny came running in. She headed for the headmistress, with her eyes full of worry. All of the students turned to face her and began murmuring theories of what was going on. Ginny wasn't even half way to Professor McGonagall, when the professor turned and gave a worried expression to Snape. He jolted up from his seat and walked quickly toward Ginny, without saying anything, and before she could speak, he grabbed her arm and dragged her back out of the Great Hall.

They could hear the headmistress trying to regain control as the doors closed behind them. Once in the entrance hall, Snape saw Ellexia balled up on the bottom step of the main staircase. Still firmly gripping her arm he pulled Ginny to face him and shouted, "What, on earth, did you do to her?" with a look full of venom, glowering at her.

"I...I...didn't do anything, Professor, I swear." Ginny stammered.

Before she could say anything more, he pushed her away from him, like a piece of putrid trash. He glided to the staircase and knelt down in front of Ellexia, he grabbed her hands, which were grasped on the back of her head, and pulled them down toward him. Ellexia had barely noticed her hands being moved, she was no longer on the same plane of existence as everyone else, her mind had removed her from it all, she was now in her own black hole, with no air, and no escape. Her body was shaking and she was still rocking, her gasping now so loud it echoed off the stone castle walls. Snape placed his hands to the sides of her head and slowly tilted it up. As his eyes met hers, an icy chill seized his heart. The girl's eyes were blank, frozen in fear, clouded by pain and terror. He'd only seen this look before, when a person's eyes were looking into the face of death. He felt as if his heart had been torn from inside him, he didn't know why it affected him so; maybe it was the audacity of seeing such horrific pain in a face of beauty, like a blatant smudge on a masterful painting. Her agony swept over him, and caused a surge of panic, he had to do something to stop her suffering. Snape shifted his body to her side and while wrapping one arm around her back he hooked the other under her knees and lifted her from the steps. As he turned toward the passageway leading to the dungeons, the doors to the Great Hall were flung open again, this time by the doing of Professor McGonagall.

"What is going on out here?" McGonagall questioned, shocked by the scene she stepped into.

"Professor, honestly, I did nothing to cause this, she just...I don't know what happened... One minute...fine, next...this..." Ginny was now shaking, herself. Even though she didn't think she did anything wrong, she could not help but to feel somewhat guilty.

"I must get her something," Snape concluded, "I don't know what ails her, but I must do something."

"I agree," McGonagall added. "Take her down to your office and find her a potion to calm her. I must see to the rest of the feast, Ginny you will join me, then afterward we will both come down and help you with her. Summon Madam Pomfry, if need be."

"Yes, Professor," Snape returned, then hastened with the girl down to his office.

After a long walk down to the dungeons, Snape finally reached his office. He laid Ellexia down on a black leather couch against the far wall of his cold, drab office. Before he left her side he knelt down beside her, cupping her cheek in his hand and looked into her devoid, green eyes. "Ellexia," he whispered to her softly. "Your alright now, come back." He stroked the side of her cheek with his thumb. "I must retrieve you a potion. I will be in just the next room." He stood slowly, letting his hand glide across her face as he released her cheek. He hesitated leaving her, but doubted she would come out of whatever state she was in on her own.

As he turned to enter his store room, he heard a low moan. When he turned back to the ghostly white girl lying on his couch, her eyelids were fluttering, her head rolled from side to side, and she began to flail her arms and legs. He raced to her side and draped one arm over her body, to control her, and placed the hand on the other, to the side of her face. "Ellexia, Ellexia..." he patted her cheek gently with his fingers. "Wake up, you're okay... I'm here...uuuhhhh...your professor...your okay now...you're safe. Just please wake up." He was losing it, losing his mind over a disturbed little girl. What in Merlin's beard am I doing? Why is her suffering affecting me so? She's just a student, I hardly even know her. He looked down at her pale face, such soft features, twisted in agony. He ran his long thin fingers through her beautiful, shiny, long, black, and soft as silk hair. Suddenly, her flailing ceased, she went limp. Her hand dropped to the hard stone floor, her knuckles hit heavily against the rock. Snape grasped her hand into both of his and rubbed the backs of her soft, supple fingers with his thumbs.

Her arm stiffened, startling Snape, he looked up into eyes staring back at him blearily. Her lips parted just slightly, as if trying to speak, but no sound came. She looked exhausted, anguished, and fearful. Snape brushed his hand against her face and spoke. "Poor girl, just rest, you are safe here with me." She just stared back at him, as if unaware of her existence. "I am going to get you a potion, it will allow you your must needed rest. I will be absent but a few seconds, I assure you." Her gaze was still blank when he stepped away. He took in a deep breath. She had come back from the brink, whether she would stay he did not know. Whatever happened, he thought, had been a form of mental suicide. This girl was deathly disturbed, and yet she stayed... for something.

When he returned with the potion, mere seconds later, the girl's eyes were closed. She looked close to death. He placed the bottle to her luscious lips and let the liquid slowly flow into her mouth. Once the bottle emptied, he turned to his desk and summoned his chair with an "Accio" charm and drew it up to the couch. He sat and watched her until his concentration was broken by someone knocking upon his office door.