Chapter 4: Lady in Red
by Jazmine Lovejoy
A/N: Insert normal disclaimer here about not owning any of this except for my little plot monkeys (fly my pretties, fly!). Also, I know that it has been a while but I hope that this will make up for it. The other chapters should be cranking out soon! Please don't forget to review-I would love to hear your imput!
Bo wakes to sound of clattering dishes and shuffling of feet. Immediately her survival instincts kick in as she leaps from her bed with the dagger that she keeps under her pillow in her hand to face in her surprise a small strange creature. Bo pauses to see the being that was only three feet tall with spindly arms and legs, pointed ears and a large bald head wearing a dingy pillowcase; carrying a breakfast tray. The creature with large grey eyes starts trembling as it squeaks, "Lucky is sorry to disturb the new protector professor! Lucky only wanted to bring the protector professor breakfast!" The creature sets the silver tray with plates of eggs, bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, toast, coffee and juice down on the nightstand before proceeding to punch itself in the face exclaiming, "Lucky is a bad house-elf! Lucky failed to serve the protector professor!"
Bo stares in shock for a second before recovering enough to set down the dagger on top of her pillow and rushing over to the little elf to grab it's hands to stop the self-infliction to say, "It's okay, it's okay, honest! I was just startled and forgot where I was for a second, that's all."
Lucky gazed at the woman with its ears flatted like a chastised puppy and moans, "Lucky never wanted to startle the protector professor."
Bo awkwardly strokes the house-elf's head and ears as she says gently, "It's alright; I'm sorry to scare you…so, your name's Lucky? My name is Bo."
The house-elf bows low before the Fae before saying, "Lucky is proud to serve Mistress Bo."
Bo felt silly to be bowed to so formally by a creature wearing a pillowcase while she was standing in her bedroom wearing a black tank top and her black thong panties but she ignores the feeling to ask, "Serve? Forgive me for asking, Lucky, but…are you Fae?"
The house-elf's ears perked up as he replies, "House-elves have not been referred to as 'Fae' for thousands of years! House-elves were removed from the Fae world when chose to serve in Wizarding World—House-elves use magic now like wizards." Lucky then pauses to whisper, "Is Mistress Bo a 'cousin'? Mistress Bo does not smell like a witch."
Before she had a chance to reply a voice calls out, "Miss Dennis? Might I have a word?"
Lucky then bows and informs Bo, "Lucky will return to the kitchens. When Mistress Bo needs Lucky, she only needs to call out to her!" The little elf then disappears with a pop, leaving Bo amazed.
Bo dons her kimono robe that was hanging from her four poster bed and walks over to the source of the voice which surprisingly was the large stone fireplace. To her amazement, the flames were green and amongst them was the face of Dumbledore. "Ah, Professor Dennis, good morning—I hope that I'm not interrupting anything."
Bo crouches down to the face in the fireplace with a look of wonder. "This is WAY better than Skype!"
He smiles as he replies, "Indeed, my dear. Now, I wanted to let you know that I had spoken to Severus," he adds with a knowing cough, "and he has graciously offered to escort you to Hogsmeade today for supplies before the start of term."
She folds her arms across her chest as she scoffs, "You expect me to believe that Mr. Scrooge himself 'offered' to escort me?"
The old man's eyes twinkled as he simply replies, "Severus asked if you would meet him outside the Great Hall in an hour."
"And he couldn't ask me himself?"she asks, "I didn't peg him as a 'I'll call you in the morning but not really' kind of guy."
"Oh I mentioned that I was going to speak to you and if he had any messages to convey," the old man said evasively.
Bo considered the Headmaster in the green flames before realizing, "If you wanted to know how the sex was, all you had to do was ask."
Dumbledore's eyes actually widen in surprise for a second before his signature twinkle resumed but Bo immediately informs the old man, "If I'm supposed to meet your potions guy in an hour I better get a move on. See you later, Al!"
She then turns around and returns to her bedroom and her breakfast as she hears an annoyed groan emanate from her fireplace. After a lovely shower in her ridiculously enormous bathroom she dons a blue leather vest top, jean mini skirt, her favorite high heeled boots and a blue leather duster jacket. She added her customary amount of daggers, throwing knives, and shurikens before finally positioning her best katana on her back and leaving her chambers to meet up with the insufferable man.
"Preparing for battle milady?" calls out Captain Roscoe as his painting hides her door.
She smiles at pirate before saying, "If I'm lucky."
She saunters off towards the Great Hall but still manages to hear, "What a woman!"
She was still laughing at the captain's remark by the time she caught sight of her designated lover at the double doors. She briefly considered the man that she shagged the night before. He wasn't handsome in the traditional sense but she had to admit that there was something about him that was alluring. Between his fit if rather thin body, his captivating voice and his craftsman hands, she could do worse on the 'donor' front. The sex wasn't bad either once he actually relaxed. She could tell when he realized she was there by the sudden stiffening of his posture (and other body parts), and the accelerated heartbeat humans couldn't pick up on. A well placed scowl contradicted his body's response but she didn't choose to comment on that.
"Morning, Severus," she greeted him with a smile, "Sleep well?"
He bowed formally before replying, "Good morning, and yes, I did. I noticed that you were not at breakfast."
"Yeah, Lucky brought me some."
"Ah I see that the house-elf that the Headmaster assigned to you is eager to please her new mistress."
"I've been meaning to ask, what is up with that?" she inquires. Severus gives her a brief explanation on the roles of house-elves and by the time he finished, the succubus seemed annoyed. "So they're slaves here?!" she snarls.
Severus rolls his eyes. "You sound just like a bushy haired student of ours. Miss Granger is a Muggle-born Gryffindor who foolishly created a bleeding-heart organization she called S.P.E.W. and attempted to 'liberate' the house-elves here by knitting some rather ghastly hats and scarves."
"I don't blame her," Bo defends the unknown student.
"Yes well, I am not here to discuss misguided creature rights, Miss Dennis," he sneered at her dismissively, "The Headmaster has requested that I escort you to the neighboring wizard village Hogsmeade to get you attire befitting a witch."
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" she exclaims as she looks at Snape up and down. "I'm not wearing any of those funky robes."
"You are now a professor in the Wizarding world. You need to blend in, and that includes appropriate apparel and not your immodest muggle outfits."
"That has got to be the first time I've ever heard a man want me in MORE clothes than I have on," she couldn't help but say. Severus said nothing in response but the thinning of his lips told Bo that he wasn't amused.
"If you will follow me," he requests. Bo gazes at the man but she wordlessly complies as they head out of the building. Snape took advantage of their stroll to the village by giving her a crash course on Hogwarts, the War, blood prejudices, etc. that by the time they entered the main streets, the Fae's head was swimming with information. She didn't get a chance to look around at the foreign surroundings as the Potion Master strides over to a specific shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He ushers her in without breaking his stride and quickly informs the sales-witch of Bo's need for new robes. After a tsunami of fabrics was brought to her, Bo was instructed to remove her normal attire and to try on the first robe, a ruby color satin ensemble. She gazed at the thing with obvious hesitation before leaning over to Snape and says, "I'm gonna need you to do something for me."
Severus rolls his eyes but replies, "I'll hold your ridiculous sword for you."
She stops before admitting, "I have a few more items than just my katana." It was his turn to raise his eyebrows in surprise but says nothing as he follows her to the dressing room. She enters the chamber and asks, "How do you want to do this? Do you want to come in with me, or wait on the other side and have me hand you each item as I strip?"
Severus clears his throat and replies, "I would prefer the second option; for propriety sake."
"What is that you're drinking?" she asks when she sees him trying to discreetly sip a murky colored liquid from a vial.
He freezes and for a second he actually blushes a little before barking out, "Not that it is any of your business, but I'm taking a pepper-up potion."
"An energy potion?" she questions. When he didn't reply, she adds with a smirk, "This wouldn't have anything to do with last night, did it?"
Severus stiffens as he hisses, "Do you think that I am used to having my soul sucked?!"
Her eyes narrow at his cutting comment but with patience she didn't know she possessed she calmly informs him, "I didn't suck your soul; just your chi. I'm not going to apologize about what I am, especially considering that you agreed to it."
After that comment, the two individuals silently agreed on a temporary truce as Bo ducks behind a half door that effectively covered her entire body as she began to strip. She slowly rids herself of all her weapons and hands them to the wizard over the door that by the time she finished he exclaims, "Where on earth were you hiding all of this?! Your clothes do not leave much to the imagination."
"Oh, so you DID notice," she laughed as she reluctantly dons the robes and walks over to the viewing area.
"I look like a dork!" she mutters disdainfully as she inspects her reflection.
"You look respectable," corrects Severus as he places the motley of sharp objects on an adjacent ottoman.
"I'm wearing a muumuu!" she whines.
"They are dress robes; all adult wizards and witches wear them. Hogwarts is an institution where decorum is paramount."
"You can't switch it off can you?" she asks amused. The confusion on his normally stern face allows Bo to clarify, "pontificating."
His sneer returns as he snaps, "I am surprised that you even know that word."
"Well, I AM a professor now, aren't I? Besides, you'd be surprise how—extensive my education is."
He bristles at her obvious baiting but does pause to say in an uncharacteristic gentility, "You look lovely in that, Miss Dennis." She smiles at the compliment but before she could thank him, he returns to his cold demeanor and announces, "I will wait for you at the register after which we may finish with the rest of our shopping and be back to the school for tea."
"Whatever you say, cowboy," she replies.
He cringes before snapping, "Must you?"
"Oh I must," she informs him with a playful smile.
"And to think that for a moment I found you tolerable," he glowers.
She doesn't fight the grin on her face as she banters with, "That's not what you said last night."
Snape blushes momentarily before spinning on his heel and glides to the front of the store. After having a lengthy discussion with one the seamstress on adding hidden pockets in all the robes for her weapons, Bo and Severus purchased several teaching, casual and dress robes for the succubus before venturing off to the other stores. Bo wisely kept the red robe on for the rest of their trip to better blend in with everyone else in their strange clothes but it did not stop people (mostly men, she noticed amusedly) from staring at her. Severus on the other hand had a constant scowl and look that ensured that the gaping public didn't dare venture to them. They had just exited the apothecary when a tall distinguished man with long blond hair glided over to them.
"Damn! Let me do the talking," Severus hisses at his Fae companion.
"Ah Severus, I was just on my way to see you," the stranger greeted with a low timbre. Based on the dark man's body language, Bo could easily tell that this was not a friendly.
"Hello Lucius, I am afraid that I am a bit busy at the moment; perhaps another time," Severus replies smoothly as he attempts to direct Bo around the man. This seemed to only amuse Lucius.
"Severus, I am appalled that you would walk on by without introducing your lovely companion," chastises the blond aristocrat.
The potion master's face flashes irritation but it quickly disappears as he returns, "Of course, where are my manners? Lucius Malfoy this is Professor Ysabeau Dennis, a visiting professor from America; Professor, may I introduce Lucius Malfoy, he is on the Board of Governors for Hogwarts which his son is in his final year."
The blond bows before Bo while taking her hand to kiss it; his lips lingering on her knuckles a bit longer than necessary as he eyes her.
"It is a pleasure to meet such a lovely creature, Miss Dennis; and may I say, that my lady looks absolutely ravishing in red," Lucius purrs.
She smiles politely, "Thank you Mr. Malfoy."
"Ysabeau please, call me 'Lucius,'" he continues with is seduction. Bo could see Severus tense up by the other man's blatant flirting but she sense that it was more than just plain jealousy.
"I prefer to be called 'Professor', Mr. Malfoy," she replies politely but with an edge. There was something about the man that set her teeth on edge.
Lucius' eyes darken for a second before smiling, "You're a fiery one—I like that in a woman."
"You're an arrogant one—I despise that in a man," she counters.
"Oh I may grow on you," he responds with a smirk.
Before Bo could snap back with a witty comeback, Severus interrupts by saying, "Forgive us Lucius; the Professor and I are due back at Hogwarts shortly. Have a nice day."
Snape offers Bo his arm which she immediately takes and the two continue their stroll back to the school.
Sensing Lucius's gaze on them still, Bo hisses, "What's with 'blondie'?"
"Beware of him, Ysabeau," warns Severus, "He maybe a pure-blood ponce but he is a dangerous one who also has the ear of the Dark Lord."
Severus' s statement surprised her but she mutters softly, "Al told me about your…situation." He tenses but she quickly adds, "Don't worry—I'm not going to say anything to anyone."
His eyes flicker at her before returning to face ahead but in that second, Bo saw his gratitude. The two reluctant allies continued on their trek to the school, all a while not noticing the blond menace who continued his studying gaze.
