Serendipity [Book 1]

An Unusual Attack

She turned and disappeared through the door before he could stop her. He groaned, running his hand through his hair in exhaustion. A sudden shrill laughter startled him and he rushed into the corridor to find Ariella laughing and pointing at something. When he came closer, he saw nothing. Well nothing that he could see anyways.

"Bloody hell, Cross." He growled before grabbing her elbow, dragging her behind him.

"See you later James!" She waved behind her, still giggling giddily. Snape froze and stared at her with wide eyes. Her amethyst eyes were glazed over and she held herself as a teenage girl.

"What is it, Sirius? Come on, Slughorn will eat us alive if he finds out we put that lion there!" She complained, her hands on her hips.

"Cross, I am not Black." He spat the name as if it were venom.

"You're right. You're white." She responded cheekily. She turned and practically skipped up the stairs.

"Cross!" He had to sprint to catch her before she stopped outside the Fat Lady.

"Higgle Sprit!" She chorused loudly, awaking the irritated painting.

"Professor, what are you doing?" She asked annoyed at being awoken. Ariella put her hands on her hips and pouted.

"That's not the password? Come on, you know I'm a Gryffindor!" She complained as Severus appeared at her side.

"Oh there you are, Sirius. Password's changed. Do you know it?" She asked, still annoyed with the painting.

"We're going to the Hospital Wing, Ariella." He ordered as he grabbed her elbow.

"What for? I'm fine." She answered as Severus shook his head and pulled her behind him.

"Sirius! Come on!"  She whined, futilely pulling on her arm. Poppy Pomfrey's eyes widened when Severus Snape dragged Ariella Cross into the Hospital Wing forcefully with her giggling madly.

"Severus what..."

"Sirius! I'm not hurt! Look I'm perfectly fine!" She gestured toward her healed body and Severus scowled as she called him by his name again.

"Ariella? Ariella, that's not Sirius, dear." She stared into her glazed over eyes.

"What? Are you blind, Pom-Pom? Of course it's Sirius! Look, black hair, ugly snout, and his secret tickling spot!" Ariella poked Severus in the side and only earned a grunt in return.

"Oi! You didn't laugh!" She accused as Pomfrey sighed.

"Oh dear. Severus what was in this potion you gave her?"

"Floxseed―"

"I'm not going anywhere near Floxseed, Sirius! You know what it does to Animagi!" Ariella whispered harshly as Pomfrey's eyes widened. Severus stared at her in confusion before he too grew horrified.

"You're an Animagus?" He asked, choking on his breath. Before she could answer, her body seized up and began to violently convulse. Severus blanched and attempted to hold her down.

"Get me a Zanax root, now!" He ordered the startled nurse as she shook herself and took off into her private stores. Severus turned back to Ariella.

"Stupid woman," he growled angrily just as Poppy returned with a ugly salmon colored root that was too twisted to pull apart. Poppy had taken the liberty of cutting the root and handed a sliver over to the infuriated potions master. He put the sliver into Ariella's mouth and forced her to chew it. Almost instantly, her entire body relaxed and her eyes fluttered open. She gasped when she saw Snape and pushed him away. Snape frowned.