Serendipity [Book 1]

An Invisible Force

Just thought I'd let you know that I'm not JK Rowling so I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters that are mentioned in her books. My OC, Ariella Cross, is mine however and I'm very proud of her, so don't steal.

PS: This Chapter's kinda short. Sorry! :]

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A scream pierced the air around the students and Snape felt his heart stop. He knew that scream. Before anyone could realize it, Severus Snape was gone. His robes billowed around him as he ran through the corridors searching for the owner of the scream. He turned the corner and found her, pressed against the wall. Her skin was pale and her lips were slightly parted open in shock.

"Cross?" He bent next to her and his hand grazed her shoulder before she jerked away from him, scrambling backwards across the floor in fear. Tears poured out of her large eyes and streamed down her cheeks as she began to rock back and forth, trying to calm herself.

"Cross? Cross, look at me." He ordered as she shifted her eyes toward him.

"What in Merlin's beard..." He looked around the corridor, looking for some sign as to what could have done this to the fearless woman. All he found were spots of blood that seemed to follow Ariella's scrambled path away from him.

"Ella?"

"Ariella? What happened to you?" Snape tensed when Minerva and Dumbledore appeared behind him. Minerva rushed toward her as Dumbledore stood by Severus.

"Ariella, look at me. Oh, Albus, she needs to see Poppy. She's hurt." Minerva announced as she somehow convinced the woman to stand up and stop rocking back and forth.

"Severus was there anyone here?"

"No."

"Very well. Minerva, let Severus take Ariella to the Hospital Wing. It's best you and I search out her attacker." Dumbledore ordered as Minerva nodded pushing the silent woman up to Snape. Her hair was in tangles around her face and her eyes looked around her wildly as if she expected another attack.

"Cross..." She pulled her robes tighter around her as he sighed. He led the way to the hospital wing, but did not leave her side.

"Oh dear. These here gashes are nasty." Poppy announced as she eyed Ariella's wounds with worry. Snape followed the wounds as well, his eyes widening. The new wounds followed the same path as the old scars that marred her stomach. Ariella's eyes flitted from Poppy to Severus in fear. Poppy had to continuously move her hands down to keep her from pulling her robes tightly around her and curling into a small ball, like she wanted to do.

"Severus, can you just keep her calm while I go to my office?" Poppy asked with a sigh as Severus could only dumbly nod before the healer left him alone with the blonde.

"Who did this?" He asked, but refused to move closer to her.

"I..." her voice trembled as she stared at him. His features softened as he cautiously took a step toward her.

"Ariella." Her name slipped from between his lips like silk and she reached for him, her fingers clutching his robe in desperation. He came close enough for her to bury her head into his chest and cling to him tightly. He simply let her.

"I couldn't see. I just...I couldn't see..." She sobbed as Severus awkwardly wrapped his arms around her head, his eyes hardening on a far off wall. He silently swore to find what dared to attack an innocent, albeit annoying, woman.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered as he tensed.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you and called you...that name...it's just..." She was the one apologizing, yet he didn't want to hear it. Somehow he felt it was he who owed her an apology.

"Stop talking, woman." He growled softly as Poppy returned with wide eyes.

"Ariella, dear, can you turn over? I need to..." Ariella shook her head violently, pulling herself deeper into Severus' robes.

"But Ariella, the wounds will not heal and the scars will worsen! Didn't you learn..." She quieted before turning to Severus pleadingly.

"Make her drink this Severus. You will not coddle her. She needs to drink it." Once again the healer left the two alone.

"You heard her." Severus mumbled as Ariella shook her head.

"No! I did not take it then, I will not take it now!" She spoke coldly as Severus sighed.

"Ariella, take the potion." He ordered. She shook her head.

"If I make you a potion, will you take it?" He asked suddenly as she looked up him. Slowly she nodded. He sighed and gently pried her fingers away from his robes. Her eyes grew wild again at the thought of being left alone.

"Calm down. Pomfrey is just..."

"No! No! Please don't leave me! Please?" She implored as Severus stared at her with wide eyes.

"I have to..."

"Take me with you, but please, Severus, don't leave me alone." She begged softly, tears bubbling in her eyes. He stared at her, the knot in his stomach tightening. He nodded curtly as helped her to her feet. She still clung to him, practically cowering in his robes as Poppy rushed over to them, scowling.

"Where do you think you're taking my patient? She needs rest, Severus!" She reprimanded as Severus sighed.

"She will not take this healing draught, but I have something in my stores that she will take."

"She can stay here until you return." Poppy argued, ignoring the terror that rang through Ariella at the thought of being separated.

"She will not stay. She will be fine with me." His voice left no room for Poppy to argue. She stared at them as they left with wide eyes. The walk from the Hospital Wing to the dungeons was a relatively short one for Severus but time seemed to be suspended as Ariella practically glued herself to his side, her arms tightened around his waist in a death grip. He was glad for the empty corridors. Well almost empty.

"Snape!" Snape turned swiftly to face the grinning Lockhart who paused when he saw Ariella.

"Ariella, my precious fairy, you..."

"Go away." Snape snarled when Ariella buried herself deeper in his robes.

"But..." Lockhart was left speechless as Ariella flicked her wrist, flinging him into a nearby wall. Snape cringed but didn't stop her. She swiftly replaced her wand before her knees began to give way. Before her body could slump to the ground, Snape swept her up, his arms cradling her body close to his protectively.

"Fool." He growled before sweeping down to the dungeons. Once he reached his classroom, he gently sat the stunned Ariella on a nearby desk and disappeared into his store. Her breath hitched in her throat and her hand reached out into the empty air, suddenly feeling cold and uneasy. Her body trembled and tears bubbled in her eyes before Severus returned with a vial of a shimmery blue liquid.

"Drink this." He gave her the vial, painfully aware of how terribly vulnerable she looked.

"Ariella, it's alright. This will calm you down and heal your wounds." He informed her as she eyed the vial suspiciously.

"Severus..." She whined pitifully. He frowned before nodding curtly. She brought the vial up to her lips and shot up back like a shot of firewhiskey. The potion burned down her throat before spreading a warm, tingly feeling throughout her entire body. Severus smirked when her wounds began to reseal themselves and the color returned to her face. The fear disappeared and she no longer clung to him in desperation. A soft serene smile graced her features as she ran her hand through her curls awkwardly. The motion was so similar to her friend's that he could almost see Sirius and James back in the room, on either side of her.

"How do you feel?" The mirage around her disappeared and she shrugged.

"Calm and...giddy, you know..." He nodded, acknowledging her answer. She pulled her robes tightly around her, covering her exposed stomach and jumped off of the desk. She wobbled before steadying out.

"Where are you going?" The question slipped out before he could stop it and she smiled softly at him.

"My quarters. I feel I've bothered you enough tonight. Thank you Severus."