As soon as classes had let out for the day, and Snape had finished terrifying a fresh batch of first years, he retreated to his office in the dungeons again. More people was going to ask Professor Marsh, he knew, and it was only a matter of time until she said yes to someone. But he couldn't stand the thought of her in someone else's arms. This wasn't the first time he had been hurt in love, and he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Would it be worth it to give her a Love Potion? After all, he was the Potions Master…and, of course, that meant that if she suddenly agreed to go with him, everyone would assume he'd slipped her a Love Potion. Besides, it would wear off after a few days, and Snape wanted something permanent.

The Imperius Curse? No, not even Snape could bring himself to do that. Besides, Professor Marsh had been an Auror, so she'd have no trouble resisting…and Snape didn't feel like going to Azkaban just because he couldn't find a date for the Yule Ball…

So he couldn't use a Love Potion, he certainly couldn't Imperius her, and he couldn't seduce her using his natural charm…

Charm! That's it!

Snape couldn't believe he had forgotten all about the Romance Charm. It wasn't illegal, it didn't wear off, and there were only three ways it could be broken—if the caster of the spell died, if the caster lifted the spell, or if the victim saw her true love's face (in person only). Snape didn't think this would be an issue, though, because as far as he knew, Professor Marsh had no true love. She certainly hadn't mentioned any boyfriends or flames. Still, though…

Snape sighed. It would be wrong, he knew, to manipulate Professor Marsh this way. But all he wanted was a date! After much internal debate, he decided that he would cast the Romance Charm on her now, but lift the spell once the Yule Ball was over. It wouldn't hurt anyone. She would remember none of it, of course, and he would have her for the night. Fleeting, but he'd make it meaningful.

Shaking his head, Snape grabbed a bag of Floo powder off his desk and tossed it into his fire, then said out loud, "Lucy's office". Then, he had a clear view.

Professor Marsh was sitting on her desk, talking to a house-elf wearing an odd assortment of clothes. The elf had big ears, like bats' wings, and even bigger eyes; he was listening sympathetically to what Professor Marsh was telling him. To Snape's surprise, she sounded tearful.

"B-But I never believed it, Dobby," she was saying, her voice trembling. "And it would've…it would've been so perfect…if none of it had ever happened…there was foul play somewhere, I just know it!"

Professor Marsh conjured a tissue and blew her nose.

"Dobby believes Professor Marsh," Dobby said earnestly.

"Call me Lucy, please, Dobby," she said miserably. "The Yule Ball just would've been so much better…It's just, y'know, I wasn't an Auror back then, I was barely out of my teens, I should've done something but I didn't know, I didn't know! I just let it happen and I regret it every day!"

She burst into tears.

Snape didn't know what to do. How could he interrupt Professor Marsh's sob-fest? And what on Earth was she crying about, anyway? From her words, it sounded like she was talking about the first Great Wizarding War. But what was it that she never believed? And what would have been perfect? When she said "none of it", he assumed she was talking about Voldemort's reign of power…Professor Marsh had become an Auror after the Dark Lord's downfall, probably because she wanted to prevent him from rising ever again—sort of like how Snape had left the Dark Side after the same Dark Lord had killed the woman he loved. But what did Professor Marsh mean by "foul play"? And what was this horrible thing that she had let happen…but should have tried to prevent?

It doesn't matter, Snape told himself harshly. Whatever it is, it obviously happened a long time ago, and she should forget about it. First I have to get rid of that house-elf, though.

Snape stepped through the fire and entered her office.

"Um, hello, Professor Marsh," he said uncomfortably, knowing it would probably be rude to ask her what she'd been crying about. "Are…are you all right?"

"Yes," she told him, sniffing. She looked up at him; her deep blue eyes were still swimming with tears, making her mascara run. Snape wanted to wipe her tears away like they do in the movies, but he was afraid she would not want it.

"Good," he said, shuffling his feet. "Dobby, will you please leave?"

Dobby was scared of Snape, so he bolted from the room right away.

"What are you here for, Professor Snape?" Professor Marsh asked, looking suspicious as well as sad.

"Well, um, I think I may have found you a date," said Snape nervously; after all, it wasn't a lie.

"I don't want a date." Professor Marsh's voice trembled again, and Snape felt the blood rushing to his face, since he didn't want her to cry again.

"Look, he's right there at the door," said Snape, pointing at the door with his wand.

"What?" Professor Marsh looked surprised. But as soon as she turned her back—

"Amare Leporum!" Snape bellowed, hitting her square in the back with a flash of red light. Her blue eyes went wide for a split second—then she collapsed onto the floor, out like a light. Snape approached her cautiously.

Finally, he worked up the nerve to pull her to a standing position. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was a little messed-up, and her eyes were closed. She had a death grip on Snape's arms. Luckily, there was some Floo powder in Professor Marsh's office as well; Snape used it to return to his office, and as soon as they got there, he helped her into a chair. Finally, he conjured up a glass of water, and let a bit of it trickle onto her face, hopefully bringing her back to consciousness. After what felt like hours of waiting, Snape saw Professor Marsh's blue eyes open.

"Severus," she whispered. Snape was shocked, as she rarely called him by his first name.

"W-What?" he asked.

"Why have I never noticed how…how handsome you are?" Professor Marsh lowered her voice and stood up, stroking Snape's cheek. So the Romance Charm had worked!

"Does that mean you've changed your answer to my question?" Snape asked tentatively. "About the Yule Ball, I mean?"

"Oh, of course," she cooed. "Who else would I rather go with?"

"That means so much to me, Professor Marsh," he told her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. To his delight, she did not pull away.

"Please…" She grinned seductively. "Call me Lucy."