Short chapter but important!

Enjoy!

Chapter 14: Checkmate

"You're mad, you are," said Ron. "You want to look inside Snape's brain?"

Alexis sighed, moving her pawn. Ron had reacted twice as bad as Harry had when she told him her plan to find out who her parents were.

"Why don't you just look in Malfoy's brain?" he asked, taking the pawn Alexis had just moved with his bishop.

"Because, Tails," said Alexis moving another pawn, "Draco is my friend. I'm not going to rip through his memories unless I have to. You just don't do that to friends."

"But you'd do it to the old bat?" asked Ron. "Check."

"I didn't say I was going to use Legminens on Snape," said Alexis moving her king where she hoped he was safe. "I'm going to try getting it out of him first. That way when the Ministry asks me how I discovered it I won't have to tell them I can read minds."

Ron snorted.

"Yeah, I think that's smart... Check."

Once more Alexis moved her king growling slightly at the difference in amount of pieces she and Ron had.

"Wish someone would help me out," she grumbled aloud.

'Now where's the fun in that?' teased McPherson, laughing softly.

Ron just rolled his eyes.

"I'm never going to get use to that, you talking to him... How do you talk to him?"

Alexis blinked. Purposely knocking down her king, she looked around the Common Room. Besides herself and Ron, only Neville, who was busy scribbling away at his Potions homework due tomorrow morning, was there. Hermione had dragged Harry to argue with the Muggle Studies professor, Charity Burbage, over something about electrical blankets. Alexis hadn't asked nor did she want to know.

Ron cleared his throat awkwardly. He wasn't sure of how Alexis felt when it came to talking about her ability to talk to a dead man.

"I have a theory," said Alexis softly, throwing a glance to Neville. She didn't want to use Legminens on Ron, he was still uncomfortable about the whole thing. "Tom made a spell."

Ron's eyes widened.

"Nothing big," Alexis said, growing a little uneasy by Ron's eye size. "It's just a comforting spell, but he still hadn't worked it all out before... You know."

Ron nodded his head understandably before asking, "What does it do? The spell I mean?"

"It makes some kind of connect between the castor and the target," explained Alexis. "Last until the castor wants it to end or has their thought of the other person broken. It makes the target feel like... well that's the thing that's better to show than explain."

"So cast it on me," said Ron.

Alexis blinked.

"You want me to cast a spell on you?" she asked surprised. "A spell you've never heard of?"

Ron merely shrugged.

"I trust you," he said simply.

"Crazy git," said Alexis, shaking her head.

Ron stuck out his tongue but sat patiently waiting on Alexis. She sighed dramatically and waited until the frantic Neville hurried out of the room mumbling about feeding Trevor.

"Amo tu," Alexis said softly.

Alexis didn't have to read Ron's thoughts to know the spell had worked on him. The red headed third year smiled softly as if he was being hugged by a loving friend he hadn't seen in a long time but had truly missed. Alexis released the spell, a smile playing on her lips as she did.

"It was like when I was little," Ron breathed. "When mum used to rock me to sleep after a nightmare. I felt... I don't know what the word is."

"Me either," said Alexis. "That's why I wanted to show you it. I don't know what the feeling is but the closest I could think of is at peace or maybe content."

Ron nodded his head before looking at the old grandfather clock against the wall.

"Nearly eight," he said, stretching with a yawn. "Detention will be starting soon, right?"

"Yep," said Alexis over popping the p. "Quality time with Snape coming up."

"Want me to walk you down?" Ron offered with another yawn.

Alexis shook her head no.

"I've got it. You go get some sleep."

With one last goodbye, Alexis headed out the portrait and down the stairs to the dungeons. She was slightly disappointed that she didn't get to see Harry or Hermione before having to deal with Snape for an hour but forgot about it once McPherson pressed into her thoughts.

'Are you sure this is a good idea, Hex?' he asked exactly how Alexis expected a conscious to.

'I'm sure.'

'Okay just be prepared not to like what you find,' was the last thing McPherson said before Alexis arrived outside the dungeon.

Snape didn't hesitate to give her work. He worked her the whole hour, having her clean every single cauldron until it was shining. When she was finally done, Alexis was tired but still determined to get her answers.

"Sir," she said, approaching Snape's desk. He didn't even look up at her. "Sir."

"You're detention is over, McPherson," Snape snapped, still refusing to look up at her from his papers. "Get out of my classroom."

"I have to ask you something fir-"

"Out."

"But-"

"Out of my classroom, McPherson," Snape said finally looking up. He looked conflicted but mostly angry.

Alexis was angry too. She was going to get her answers from him and that was final.

'Screw questions,' Alexis growled, locking eyes with her Potion's Professor.

She pushed through his walls and entered Severus Snape's mind.

Alexis nearly lost focus when she saw the first memory floating in his mind.
Snape hurried through the secret passage on Moody and Dumbledore's heels. He just barely caught a glimpse of a black hair girl collapse next to her already unconscious friend.

"I'll still protect you... No matter what... I'll protect you... Harry... I'll protect..." whispered the girl, falling into unconsciousness. Snape all but ran to her side.

"Alexis, can you hear me?" he said before thinking, 'Hex, please...'

A smile slipped on the girl's face sending a wave of relief through him. She tried to move but Moody's hand pressed her back down.

"Carry her, I'll get the lad," ordered Moody. Snape nodded before gently pulling the girl in his arms. Alexis's could feel him shaking with nerves as he did.
'Tom...' The girl thoughts run through Snape's mind freely.

'It's alright, I have you,' Snape sent back, a hint of comfort in his voice. 'You're safe now. Just stay with me, Hex.'

'I... I miss you,' rambled the girl. Clearly she had him confused with someone else. 'You... You'd be proud of me, Tom... I just know it... I made friends, real friends.'

Snape choked back a snort. 'I know, I've seen.'

'Do you like them? Harry's my best friend, but Ron and Hermione are really good friends too... and the twins, Draco and Cedric too... Peeves, I like Peeves even though he can be difficult sometimes... like you, Tom.'

Snape didn't know how to reply. The girl obviously thought he was her late guardian.
'I met Moody too,' Alexis rambled on. 'He's nice... I think he misses you, Tom... I miss you, Tom.'

'I know, Hex... I know,' Snape thought.

'Am I dying, Tom?'

Severus Snape, the King of no emotions, nearly stopped dead. The very idea of her dying seemed to frighten him for reasons even unknown to him.

When he finally found words, he thought, 'No, Hex. You're not dying and neither is Potter. Just go to sleep.'

The girl, however, wasn't satisfied. 'Will you be there when I wake up?'

Again, Snape had no idea what to tell the girl. He hurried to the hospital wing thinking as fast as he could to find the right way of telling her that her request was impossible.

'I can't, Hex. You know I can't.'

The girl let out a sigh, disappointed but understanding.

'I know but... Amo tu, Tom... Amo tu...'

Alexis felt as her own spell hit Snape before being thrown into another memory. Her eyes took in the familiar sight of the Headmaster's office and the Headmaster himself.

"Harry, will save her, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly even though he gave off an aurora of worry.

"Albus, we can't just assume Potter-"

"I do not assume anything, Severus," cut in the Headmaster. "I simply put the facts together and the facts show me he will save her or die trying."

"And what 'facts' give you the right for this theory?" snapped Snape viciously.

"Fawkes is gone, as is the Sorting Hat."

Snape scowled at the old man's words.

"Perfect, a bird and a old hat will help the boy save the day."

"Severus, I know you care for them both," sighed Dumbledore. "Even if you don't. Now let Alastor and Minerva in..."

The memory faded, revealing Snape talking to Lucius Malfoy.

"You're lucky she didn't die, Lucius," Snape growled.

"It's not like I wanted it to happen, Severus," sighed Lucius. "It picked her. The book... And now, even with its powers gone, it calls for her. I think... I think Our Lord has grown attached to her and what scares me is I don't know why."

Snape was quiet for a moment, his thoughts racing too fast for Alexis to keep up.

"If he does return," he said slowly, "do not give him the book. Not unless he demands it, or else..."

Again the memory faded, revealing Snape and Dumbledore talking once more. Snape looked livid.

"They can't actually think she'd-"

"They can and they do, Severus," said Dumbledore. "And they're is nothing we can do but protect her and Harry from Black and the Ministry."

"But just because her mother is a Deatheater and Black's-"

"It's more of who her father is that Cornelius fears."

Snape stiffened if only for a moment before Alexis saw the memory fade farther back then to a much earlier time. Snape was looking in a mirror, his crooked nose much straighter, and his face a great deal younger. If Alexis had to guess, she would say he had just left Hogwarts.

Snape made his way through the door quickly, his eyes falling on two dark hair figures with green eyes.

"Snape!" shouted a voice. "Hurry up!"

"Lestrange, I swear-"

Alexis went flying across the room as Snape pushed her out of his mind. She hit the wall but stumbled to her feet quickly, her eyes locked on her Potion Professor. Then, not knowing what else to do, she ran.

*dramatic piano music* cliffhanger!

Okay so the memory scene is supposed to be a rambling mess, Alexis is swimming through Snape's mind with no idea where to look, but for anyone that is confused here's an outline of the scenes she sees:
First is when Alexis and Harry are rescued from the underground room in the first book; the second is Snape and Dumbledore talking after Alexis has been taken to the Chamber of Secrets; third is where Snape goes after Alexis, Harry and Ron return from the Chamber; fourth is at the beginning of this year; and the last scene is a mystery for you to understand later.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter even though it's kind of short!

mwinter: here's more!
MarineAstriella: I'm sorry but Swine, along with McPherson, is not Alexis's dad. However, the reason Swine hates Alexis is pretty good in my opinion and I'm sure you can figure it out. Glad you enjoyed my random but funny scenes in the last chapter.
Kuroi-Akuma-no-Okami: Yeah, Alexis gots a mouth on her (she is American raised after all plus Moody influenced) Glad you enjoyed the last chapter!
NeverBeyondRedemption: And Alexis Lestrange loves you too!
Luna the HP fan: I can see how the Dementor scene can be confusing. All the voices she was hearing were from moments when she, though she would never admit it, felt fear. Tom Riddle taking a solid form, McPherson's death, Alexis forgetting all of her friends for Riddle, and then of course the scene where Harry 'dies' at the hands of Voldie as a baby (though this scene only comes about from accidentally listening to Harry's thoughts, Alexis has seen the scene before in one of Harry's nightmares). Glad you liked the Lupin scene, just another awkward moment between best friends Harry and Hex!

Thanks for all the reviews guy's and please keep sending them!
Review!

DCF