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To Travel Through Time: Part Two: Untouchable by Melvacaea [Reviews - 3]

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Actually, I can. I've just returned from "vacation", got checked out by some guy (kinda cute) at the Cardinals vs. Brewers game (and we trounced them -- Go Cards!), and am now lounging in front of the computer, updating my story.

Thanks to Trickie Woo, wytchkat, snivelly13, and Stuka for reviewing the first chapter of "Untouchable". It is much appreciated.

****
~2~Investigations~


Achlys' eyes fluttered open and, when she didn't recognize her surroundings, she somersaulted out of her chair, wand out, and crouched, eyes darting around. Then, she remembered where, when, and who she was and she sighed, sticking her wand carelessly into her back pocket. She ran her hands through her hair, took one whiff of herself, and searched for the shower, determined to investigate thoroughly afterwards.

The bathroom was furnished in a Slytherin manner: black and silver with some green. She almost gagged. Black and silver she could handle, but the green was terrible. And so, with a wave of her wand, the green was replaced by silver. She closed the door and opened one of the silver taps of the potion bottle shaped sink. A mirror with a vine-like black frame hung over it.

"You look awful," the mirror said. "Have you slept enough?"

"Yes," she said in a low voice, perching one hand on the edge of the black sink and looking at herself in the mirror. Her face was smooth, devoid of wrinkles and laugh lines, and her eyes solemn. Her glasses were stained and, as if by automatic reflex, she pulled them off and wiped them with her shirt. The world without her glasses was slightly blurry and gave her a headache, but she kept them off and opened the silvery-blue shower curtain.

"Egad!"

The bathtub was big enough and deep enough to fit at least three people, one of them Hagrid, and there were several silver taps along the edge. She turned on the water and shed her clothing, wrapping a fluffy silver towel around herself and watching the clothing disappear before her very eyes. House-elves. I wonder where my trunk is. Do I even have one? When the bathtub was filled to her liking, she tested it with one toe, smiled, released her towel, and lowered herself in. It was with great pleasure that she investigated every tap, one releasing a stream of scented silver bubbles and another a short burst of colored water, whose color she realized she could change if she concentrated. And so, soaking in a tub full of gold, scented, bubbly water, she relaxed.

She removed herself from the tub about forty-five minutes later and the water drained as soon as her heat left it. A black robe appeared and she dried herself vigorously, still unsure about using the wand that now lay on the table. It was made of some red colored wood, probably yew, and she felt as if there was a dragon scale inside it. It felt right, but still uncomfortable. With great care, she slipped it into her silk robe pocket and stepped outside, wet hair draped over her shoulders. She entered a room furnished in dark red. There was a queen size, four poster bed with dark red silk sheets and a dark red chiffon canopy. Her trunk, large and made of brass, lay at the foot of it and she sighed in relief. Before investigating the trunk however, she finished with her surroundings.

There were mahogany night stands on either side of the bed, each with a candle. Against the wall across from the bed was a dresser that served as a vanity. The mirror, upon inspection, was unenchanted to her relief. The chair, once she lowered herself into it, was made of dark red plush and was very comfortable. She inspected herself in the mirror and waved her hand tentatively. To her surprise, the mirror became three, one in front and one on either side, giving her an overall view of herself. So. She could do wandless magic. This could come in handy. She checked the top of the dresser. A brush that looked like it was gentle enough for this sort of hair, pins, ribbon, a gold necklace, and a vanity case. She flipped it open hesitantly, gagged, and without a thought, grabbed her wand and Banished it. Who in their right mind would wear that color make up?

She stood up, clenched her wand, and chanted a spell. The stifling dark red walls became soft and creamy, pastel-like, and calm. With a smile, she saw her closet embedded in the wall to the right from the bed and opened the doors. It was empty except for a cape: black with silver trimming and a silver clasp. She rolled her eyes, closed the closet door, and exited the room. She looked around her living room, kicking the door shut behind her.

It was orange, to her chagrin, but looked good with the pale wood furnishings. Some parts, like the roof and ornate fireplace, were painted white. The sofa which she had casually tossed herself onto the previous night was a mixture between orange and cream, a nice combination, as were the two sofas next to it. There were several, goodly filled bookcases. But she, with her intense hatred for orange, waved her wand, muttered a spell, and everything orange was turned to mint green. She grinned, left the white as it was, and eyed the sofa, chairs, and cushions. She turned the cushions gold, the sofa Gryffindor red, and the cushiony wing chairs the same color red, just to be rebellious.

She clicked her tongue at the furnishings and they became darker colored. (Upon inspection, one of them was a well-stocked wine cabinet). She reached the far right wall and tapped it. Her hand went straight through to reveal a kitchen, furnished in black-and-white tiles, white walls, metal sink, pale wood cabinets, silver stove, and a pale wood counter with the black-and-white tile top. Tentatively, she tapped the stove with her wand and flames grew from it. She winced and turned off the flames. The counter cabinets contained a variety of pots, pans, tops, and baking sheets. The counter drawers contained measuring cups, silverware, cooking utensils, and other things, though she didn't have a clue what they were. Overhead cabinets contained plates, bowls, saucers, cups, glasses, wine flutes, mugs, a blender (where was the outlet?), and other things that didn't interest her. She searched for the outlet, found none, and decided that it was magically run.

Achlys walked back to her room, satisfied with what she saw, and opened her trunk. First, she took out a load of books. Then, with great care, a large wooden box full of potion ingredients and glass objects. The clothes were folded at the bottom and she selected a dark purple, satin dress and dark purple robe to go over it. The closet, she realized, was happy to provide matching satin shoes. She looked at herself in the mirror, muttered a spell, watched her hair go up in a French twist with a black ribbon, and muttered to herself that it was extraordinarily unconventional for working with potions.

Then, of course, she heard someone calling from the Floo, and it scared the holy bejesus out of her. She walked into the room, removing her robe along the way, and found Albus there, smiling up at her.

"Excellent! You know about the staff meeting then?"

"Staff meeting?" she said warily. Shit. Staff meetings mean nosy people and nosy people mean people trying to find out her past. Which she currently didn't know.

"It's Saturday. The meeting's in about an hour. You look superb."

"Er... thank you. I think."

"I'll have you know, though, Slytherins are not above using Muggle clothing when working with potions." He winked at her and she watched him leave in surprise.

With a shake of her head, she spelled the robe to be less stifling (she liked the cool breeze of the dungeons), pulled on it on, and walked to her labs, wooden box in hand.

****

"Morning, dear!" the woman in the painting said cheerily.

"Er... morning."

"You look fabulous. Staff meeting?"

"'Fraid so. Remind me again why I let myself be dragged into this?"

The woman grinned and the man walked into the painting, buttoning his shirt.

"Password, then?"

"Untouchable."

The painting swung open and Achlys stepped inside to look around, one hand inching towards her wand. She wasn't sure where she had gotten these reflexes and there were currently a dozen hexes running through her brain, hexes that in her present – past – future – ergh. Hexes that she had never heard of in her other life. So the future of Achlys and the personality of Achlys and the knowledge of Achlys were here, the memories weren't... because the memories of Kestrel were invading!

Someone was here. That thought put everything else in the back of her mind.

The lab was in pristine, organized condition. There were two bookcases along the back wall, filled with thin books and sheaves of parchment. She stepped to the center, where a long island counter sat, and set her box on the counter. Wand in hand, she started inspection from the right of the door. There were more bookcases, tall ones, deep ones, filled with jars, bottles, boxes, and bags of ingredients, carefully labeled. She turned the corner and came up a counter that ran along the length of it, curved into the corner, and continued until it stopped before the parchment-filled bookcase.

She smiled.

Slumped over the counter, potion bubbling with accuracy, was Severus Snape. Wand at the ready, she approached him from the side, noticing the good stove, equipment, and (when she opened a few cabinets) cauldron and pan stock as she went. She looked into his potion and Achlys recognized it: Veritaserum. Eyebrows raised, she lightly touched his shoulder and watched him act within milliseconds. He was out of his chair and had his wand in his hand before you could say 'wake up'. She kept her eyebrows raised and he lowered his wand sheepishly.

"I'd ask what you're doing making Veritaserum in my lab and sleeping as well, but I think I'd better not."

"The Headmaster asked me to," he said nervously, and she knew he was lying. But she ignored it.

"Look at you. You probably didn't eat last night." He looked sheepish again. "You didn't, did you? Foolish boy. Well? Go on, go to the Great Hall and eat for goodness sake! I can finish this."

He scampered out and Achlys shook her head before checking the potion. After she was sure it was ready, she bottled it in three different vials, set them in a small box, and went to the staff meeting. It was quite a bit before she realized that she didn't know where the staff room WAS. It was complete and utter luck that she found Professor Flitwick.

"Professor Flitwick!" she said in relief. The tiny professor turned around and smiled at her.

"Please, it's Filius, Professor."

"Then it's Achlys!" she replied gamely.

They walked to the staff room together, talking easily about different charms and their effect on potions. Achlys did notice that people seemed to stare at her, eyes narrowed. With a shrug, she followed the man into the staff room and settled down to wait.

****

Boring, I know. *yawns* Next one's a bit more interesting.

To Travel Through Time: Part Two: Untouchable by Melvacaea [Reviews - 3]

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