Chapter 10: Desperate Arrangements
Sitting in a vast marbled hall of gold and grandeur, Constance stares out into the vacant labyrinth listening to the sound of air moving through the opulent pillars. For the first time in decades, she was truly alone with her thoughts and it scared her. The emptiness and isolation wrapped her in a suffocating blanket she couldn't push off. As the tears roll down her cheeks, she curls up on the once majestic glass floors and pulls her legs tight to her chest. After dreaming of having her thoughts private since she was a child, she sees her freedom as a private hell. A prison of isolation of her own design, the empty silence menacingly strangles her chest making breathing impossible. As she contemplates ending her life, a whisper on the wind calls to her, stirring her mind from her perceived surroundings.
Releasing her legs, she opens her eyes and concentrates on the voice filtering into the grim halls around her. Taking a deep breath, she sits up and lets the whisper touch her cheek. The soft and loving caress brings a surge of warmth across her visage and she grins lovingly. Like a long ribbon on the wind, it dances and moves around her encouraging her to follow. As she focuses her attention on the object of her affection, it solidifies into a reddish-gold streamer dancing and soaring around her. Catching surges of passionate happiness from its wake, Constance can no longer resist the calling to follow its impassioned dance. With tears flowing like rivers, she leaps and jumps as it moves through the halls. As the tears continue to stream down her cheeks, she laughs and embraces the joy the ribbon brings her. As she dances, she casts off the dark layers which were keeping her bound to the floor. Liberated, she dances naked through the halls and follows the streamer out the grim halls into the blinding light of the sun.
Constance slowly opens her eyes to find Susan lovingly cupping the sides of her face. Wearing a passionate smile on her face, her eyes explode into tears seeing Constance's delicate green and blue eyes liberated after an eternity of imprisonment. The passion feeds Constance's weary body and she ravishes her wife in a life-absorbing kiss. As the kiss lasts beyond a subtle show of love, it threatens to explode into a passionately heated display of sexual love. Susan manages to free her hand from Constance's grasp and motions to the wizards around her to leave. Missing the people quietly depart, Constance refuses to stifle her love, and nearly rips her nightgown apart trying to get undressed.
With the last of the wizards departed, Lucinda Towmunders stops Deputy Headmaster Filius Flitwick and the Ancient Runes professor Cyndara Leflame outside Constance's room. In a low whisper she continues.
"You weren't kidding it would be intense."
Sharing a small laugh, Cyndara replies.
"That's nothing; that was only a taste of things to come. I'm thankful they were married, because the link Constance just made with her is unlikely to diminish for decades to come. She was near death, and we got her back just in time. I mean, she would have been dead by nightfall."
Flitwick shakes his head. "That intense love can be both salvation and damnation. Fortunately, I saw that same level of love from them when they were just students here at Hogwarts, so I'm not too worried about them, Cyndara."
The Runes professor nods in affirmation. "Nonetheless, we will have to accommodate Constance's new persona as much as we can. She may decide to leave Hogwarts so she can spend every waking moment with Susan, but nothing is certain, Headmaster."
Lucinda cordially agrees and leads them away from the room speaking quietly.
"Yes, we will, but the Christmas holiday is upon us. Much will happen over the next few weeks that are beyond our control. We will address these issues when we must, not before."
Stopping at an open window, Lucinda lets her professors leave without her as she dwells over the future. With an open seat in the Defense Against the Dark Arts field, she will struggle to fill it without bringing in a new professor mid-term. With some ideas rolling through her head, she grins inwardly as she watches a light dusting of snow dribble through the air around the castle. Knowing she will have to get ministry approval to authorize Jullian Bentower to teach the last half of the upper level DADA courses, she imagines she can juggle around the schedules just enough to make her plan succeed. Drifting back to her tower to send owls off to the ministry, she feels an odd sense of peace replacing the chaos of the first half of the school year. Though she had a nightmare of scroll-work to accomplish in a few weeks, she imagined she could pull off a win despite how the first half went.
Despite the feet of snow falling outside the castle, the sixth year Potions class was abnormally quiet and anxious to see who would stroll into their potions class. With Professor Bentower teaching the senior DADA course during their period, no one knew for certain who would be available to teach them for the remainder of the year. As they whispered and conversed nervously, the great heavy door crashes open as a dark cloaked shape rushes down the walkway towards the massive professor's desk. Donning an oversized doomsday cloak, no one could discern who this new professor could be. Using two wands, the feminine hands casually flick the shudders closed with a bone rattling crash from either side of the room. Throwing her weighty bag of books on the table she begins in a low hoarse voice.
"There will be no waving of wands, casting of silly spells or Tom-foolery in my class. We will study the serious techniques to achieve superior ranking on your Potions OWLS that eventually affect your NEWT scores! If you are not interested in doing well, the exit is that way. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"
As the class stares at her in mortal terror, the woman flips the hood of cloak back revealing Constance wearing a massive Cheshire cat grin. As she laughs at everyone's expressions she continues in a warm and welcoming tone.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist doing that. That was my favorite Headmaster Snape impression. Miss Hendrick and Mister Higgles, would you please reopen the shudders for me?"
As the pair stand using their wands to reopen the shudders, Constance brushes off her cloak and lets it glide effortlessly to a coat rack to rest. Underneath her dreary cloak, she reveals a vibrantly colored flowery gown and bright red heels, most uncharacteristic of Slytherin potion professors. Though she wore thick white knitted leggings underneath the knee-length gown, she refused to let the position define her attire. She cannot believe the level of relief which washed over the students seeing her, and privately catalogs that for another day with Susan.
"Your professor is absorbed with picking up the pieces of the DADA professor's untimely departure and I have been asked to teach his potions courses. The good part is that I will be your professor full time, not bouncing back and forth. And for those who have a problem with me teaching it, or question my credentials, I've actually been a ministry-accredited professor for potions since I was sixteen."
Scanning the room, she cannot find a single face that seems to object to her previous speech allowing her to continue confidently.
"So, I read what Professor Bentower wanted to teach you, and unfortunately I have to stick to his lesson plan…but not how he was going to teach it. Let's spend today going over the particulars of the potion we will cover, and tomorrow we'll begin brewing it. I like to go over all the unique aspects of these ingredients before we start throwing them into a cauldron, and see what happens if you screw it up. Oh, before we begin! Did you all like that two-wand thing I did?"
As the class gives out relieved smiles and chuckles, Constance triumphs at lightening the mood in the class. After having them open their books, she pushes out a cart with all the ingredients for the next potion they're to brew. Spending her time explaining and answering questions about each ingredient, she values the time she gets to know each student. Though Henrietta had no love for the art, her knowledge in the field was without question. Having heard her recant the hours she spent with her father in his keep; not to discover the mysteries of the art, but to spend all her time with the man she adored and loved. Taking the time to unmask the people behind the names made Constance glow inwardly knowing that each of these young people were just like her and her friends that she loved and lost in Hogwarts. As the class begins to empty after nearly an hour, Constance dons her cloak and returns to her grim composure. As they start to open the door she fires out at them.
"If you don't want to catch hell from me, make sure you tell everyone who hasn't seen me yet that this class was your worst one of the day. I still have the sixth-years to do this to. Not a single smile as you leave my class!"
As each student struggles to suppress the glee and happiness having Constance as their professor, she refuses to let the doors open until everyone has a sad and depressed expression upon exiting. Satisfied, she lets them leave hiding her massive smile underneath her drooping hood. After a few minutes, the first of the sixth years begin piling in, unaware of the deception she had planned.
Lucinda leans back in her chair marveling at the show Constance puts on for her students. Gazing through a large looking glass on her desk, she admires the clarity the ancient device displays. Allowing her to selectively view anywhere on the castle's grounds, she adored the ancient relic of a forgotten age. Shaking her head, she enjoys the unique details the new professor brings to the course, defining her style as a teacher and a scholar. Over her shoulder, Auror Middleton chuckles quietly watching Constance's antics and glares fondly at the woman. Taking a chair beside the headmaster, he sits through the entire hour of her teaching, impressed with her unique style, and mastery of the art. As the class departs, he stands and addresses the headmaster.
"This is exactly how she is in whatever she teaches, from magical animals to charms, potions to Defensive magic, she simply reaches these young minds in a way that most don't; it's incredible. And despite her outward appearances, they simply forget what she looks like on the outside and only see her inner glow. This characteristic is timeless, as I have detailed reports explaining what others wrote while she was tutoring in Hogwarts as a teen. If you told me this, never in a million years would I have believed it."
Lucinda nods in agreement. "Minerva…Headmaster McGonagall, told me a lot about that girl before I asked her to come. Headmaster Dumbledore spoke fondly of her while he and Snape were maneuvering her into a relationship with Lord Voldemort. Albus saw her as a pawn as much as Harry, but he did care about them. The mission to put as many key people in place before Voldemort became too powerful made him a bit reckless with their young lives. She led the Lion Guard here at the school while Harry headed up the frontal attack against Voldemort. Many lives were spared because of what she accomplished, and those children became notable people in the here and now. Why do you think Constance's barrister is so loyal to her, or that she was always just out of reach while in exile? She made powerful friends while here, and they never forgot her role in Voldemort's defeat, though most of us are oblivious to her works."
Andrew nods before replying. "I'm only now getting larger pieces of that story. Even Harry didn't know she was working for the headmaster and believed he was alone in the subterfuge; though he now admits he was a little too focused on his tasks, from Horcruxes to the ministry's antics."
Lucinda nods as Constance addresses the unsuspecting Sixth-years, similar to the previous class she reviewed. Enjoying the morbid show designed to connect with the students, she dismisses the view and sits back.
"Despite the loss of her curse, she is still a formidable witch with a priceless wealth of experience of the world, not just the wizarding world. I'm relieved that she found some balance over the holiday break with Susan Bones. I cannot emphasize my fears all during the holidays that I would be trying to fill two empty slots for the second half of the year. So, are they going to give Dravin Locke and his sister the death penalty for their crimes?"
Andrew shrugs. "Nothing is official yet. His barristers are trying to prevent it, but the evidence is quite damning."
Dropping the subject, Lucinda merely nods grimly in understanding, and rises to show Andrew out. As they leave the castle, they pass groups of children who fondly remember Andrew, and he takes a minute to converse. He admitted that several he had an interest in recruiting for ministry positions, though he made sure to never mention his thoughts to the headmaster. Leaving Andrew to return to the castle she walks the halls and ends up finding Constance's class as she's wrapping up. With a glowing smile seeing the headmaster, Constance stands a bit more erect and proud of her position. With a warm smile, Lucinda addresses the class.
"So, what did you think of her evil entrance?"
As the students erupt in cheer and laughter, Lucinda warmly glances at Constance's embarrassment to the praise her new students give her. After dismissing the class Lucinda waits until the room is emptied and cleaned before speaking frankly with her new professor.
"I never adequately thanked you for returning to Hogwarts. I'm fully aware that Potions is not your passion, but this is only temporary, I promise. Professor Hagrid is anxious for your return as his assistant, but I'm concerned that an assistant position will not be satiating after being in the seat of a full professor."
Constance shakes her head in concern. "My current passion lies with magical creatures. If I have to be the official pooper-scooper just to fill my days learning and teaching about them, so be it!"
Laughing Lucinda stops her from continuing. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Nonetheless, I intend to put you back into Care of Magical Creatures afterwards, unless you request to stay on in another position, of course."
Constance takes her turn laughing. "Not likely. As I tell my students, just because one is adept and skilled to do a thing, does not define who they are. I am extremely happy having nothing to do with potion-making and developing antidotes to unknown poisons. I am more than willing to aid Professor Bentower teaching his classes and following his lesson plans for the remainder of this year. Aside from that, my passion lies in Magical Creatures."
Lucinda bows understandingly. "Well put. Alas, your performance as a professor has been above exceptional, and I just wanted to tell you to keep up the good work."
Exchanging bows, the pair turn and go their separate ways, as the bustle of students rage around them. Constance arrives at her room to kick off her red shoes and relax until dinner. With her thoughts filled by images of Susan, she cannot imagine how she got through her day with sending her an owl or two.
With the school year approaching its end, Constance managed to drastically improve the OWL and NEWTS results across several fields, not just in potions. Though she was approaching exhaustion, she sat in her office as the last of the students came by to see her before leaving. Promising to see them off at the Hogwarts Express, she finishes her third letter to Susan that week. Though she spent every evening on her magically enhanced muggle phone, her heart raced in anticipation of their reunion in a couple of days. As she pulls her nose out of the scroll, she feels a presence approaching her door. Instinctually, she sets the quill down closes the bottle of ink. A brisk rapping makes her exclaim "Enter" as she rises to her feet. Unsurprised to see the headmaster enter she smiles warmly.
"Are you here to see me off as well, headmaster?"
Laughing, Lucinda nods cordially and replies.
"Yes and no. Yes, I wanted to see you before you departed, but not to see you off. I wanted to see what you thought of your first true semester as a professor, not just an aide."
Constance can only shrug mildly. "It was nothing. No stress, just fun interacting with the students while teaching them. I can't wait to see what the next year brings me."
Beaming a warm smile, Lucinda continues.
"I was thinking something completely different, actually. After discussing it with Professor Hagrid and the ministry, they have authorized us another professor slot, seeing that our facilities can now accommodate more than one magical creatures class during an hour. Professor Constance Bones, you are slated to be our next school year's Professor of Care For Magical Creatures alongside Hagrid. He will still head the department, but you will be a full professor. We are to officially announce it during the summer, but I wanted to ensure I have secured your services before you get any other crazy ideas before then."
Constance clumsily falls backwards into her chair in shock. "But…but I only have a year as an assistant? How can this be?"
Lucinda continues to smile warmly watching her young professor quiver and churn in her seat.
"Technically you have over two years as an assistant professor, as the ministry counted your prior experiences under both Headmaster Dumbledore and Headmaster Snape, and your time as a tutor weighed heavily in that decision. You were doing high quality teaching as a tutor, and it was recognized by some whom you taught who are now notable members of the ministry today. What you did then was duplicated this year under my watchful eyes; and to say you impressed people is an understatement."
Constance can only shake her head in disbelief. "This is all happening too fast."
Lucinda can only laugh listening to the meek woman accept her praise.
"Is that a yes or a no, professor?"
Constance dwells on the situation momentarily before speaking.
"What about my tutoring program?"
Lucinda's face lights up and she finds a seat alongside Constance.
"Ah! I want to continue this program and expand it to all assistant professors. Their duties will be tutoring, rather than just assisting the professors, but I want you to head up the entire school's tutoring. You won't be tutoring everyone, but helping the young assistant professors along getting them ready to teach, much how you do it already. I, along with the ministry, believe you have a vast amount of natural experience in teaching, and we need to harvest that experience you bring to our school. Your methodology goes a long way in preparing professors to reach the youth and amplify their lessons."
Constance rests her face in her open hands and murmurs, "This is heavy."
Laughing Lucinda leans over and waits as Constance imagines how to respond. Instinctually she turns inwards to ask her options, only to feel Susan's glow shine back upon her from that dark place the demon once slept. With joy and love filling her, she sits up and imagines what her true love would tell her is she was here to ask.
"I'll do it. I kinda love teaching, so it beats looking for regular work any day. I'll need some extra days off in the next school year. Susan has some trips planned that will take an extra day or so getting back via the Muggle ways. We want to prepare future travelers with the details that Muggles are accustomed to, like long customs lines, flight delays, etcetera. Her company is ready to pay for a book we're writing, 'How to live in the world Muggle-style' and we're nearly done editing before sending it off to their editors."
Lucinda chuckles and nods. "I'm sure we can accommodate your schedule. You'll only be a full time professor in Magical Creatures, and almost every subject will have an assistant. Some will do double duty as did you when you first started doing tutoring. There are some very accomplished students developing into assistants, and I have already asked four to return three weeks early to get certified by the ministry, as has Professors Longbottom, Filtwick, Quirke, Hobble, and Vector. You will have your work cut out for you, and I will need you to return three weeks early as well. I think I can rationalize three weeks of excused absence from your duties here in return for your early arrival?"
Nodding in approval Constance shakes Lucinda's hand and agrees. Venturing down to the train station to see off the children, many stop her for a hug as they board. Wearing a red flowery dress with green and gold accents, she waves and says her goodbyes as the students dismiss their previous year's stress and drama and shed tears of both joy and sadness for their departure. As the train pulls away, a strong finger taps on Constance's shoulder making her spin. Dressed in tight black leather pants and a sleek brown overcoat, Delia looked the part of Auror, as much as villain. Shaking her head, Constance reaches out and hugs her ignoring the fearsome aura she projects. In a whisper, she says, "He should have told you that wouldn't work against me."
Delia chuckles and nods as she replies.
"Yah, he mentioned it, but I had to try anyways. So look at you, not the grim and gruesome professor any longer. And you're letting your hair grow out; my, my, what will people think?"
Sneering, Constance shows off her brilliant dress by spinning in place. Wearing a white shawl over her shoulders, it helped to conceal the countless horrific scars which magic could barely repair. Waves of white roses feather out from the shawl, sending petals out in her wake and filling the air with the scent of rose in the air. Though some scars had nearly faded with time and magic, most resisted the effects and were a constant mental impairment with her self-esteem.
"Well, I'm not wanted any longer, and we both are shedding our 'on-the-run' behaviors."
Laughing, Delia nods. "Very true, but wanted is not the right word. The ministry, I hear, wants you to remain at Hogwarts for another couple of years. I also heard you transferred all the funds over which you would have paid in reparations from your wages. You can leave any time you like."
Becoming a bit more serious Constance replies. "You bet I did. Teaching children shouldn't be a prison sentence. I get a considerable amount of joy working with the youths, and I feared it would tarnish that feeling if I associated it with teaching here. This way, I can feel like I'm making a difference in their lives, not just doing my time. I heard you got promoted up a bit, number two in the Auror department?"
Delia nods in affirmation. "Andrew is more involved with the ministry than his Auror duties so I took his place. Mister Potter also feels my talents lie in training future Aurors as well, and I will occasionally visit the school to teach and demonstrate advanced DADA techniques to the seventh-years. We hope to recruit the most talented troublemakers as well, so it works both ways."
Constance laughs as she replies. "Oh, then I have a list for you to keep an eye out for." Turning serious, Constance immediately follows with, "How are you two doing then?"
Delia seriously considers how she replies. "WE are fine. We've got a bit of growing pains, but we are establishing the limits, and I realize how our attempts to capture you really put OUR lives in danger, not the other way around. Oh! And your little secret on how you were able to spend galleons without getting caught is safe with me. He's been filling me in while we are trying to find the ministry's most wanted. He has been extremely helpful in that endeavor."
Nodding, she glances over Constance's shoulder and sees Susan walking up the path. Excusing herself to speak with the headmaster, she disappears towards the castle. Glowing radiantly from her situation, she is suddenly filled with rapturous joy and love. With her mind becoming overwhelmed and entangled with feelings of love and companionship, interwoven with unbridled sexual lust and affection, she knows Susan approaches. Spinning on her heels with burning desire consuming her, she sprints towards Susan leaving a trail of roses in her wake. Leaping enthusiastically into her outstretched arms, she locks her lips on her true love. Spending an eternity in her arms, she cares not that the last train car of students see her passionately kissing Susan. Even as the steam clears and the professors meander back to the castle to finish their departure preparations, Constance continues kissing Susan until she convinces the young professor to get her bags so they can return home.
Standing alongside Lucinda, Delia shakes her head watching the scrying glass display the exchange between Constance and Susan. Shaking her head, Delia chides the headmaster.
"I don't see how exchanging one curse for another is an improvement."
Shrugging, Lucinda replies. "It's better than death. We all know the prophecies are coming to fruition, and Constance will be essential in the counter plans against the coming evil. At least now we have two adept and enhanced witches to face the onslaught, one of whom is now sticking around the premises of ground zero."
From the shadows, Professor Filtwick steps forward and finds a seat near the door before speaking.
"If she and Susan weren't intensely in love beforehand, this might be a curse. Instead, it's a blessing."
Delia shakes her head in denial. "How in the bloody hell can you say something like that? I know it sounds damn hypocritical coming from the woman whose life she saved. No offense, but she knew the consequences of transferring the demon to me was possible death. The connection it makes is beyond just mental or physical. He becomes your very life blood and your survival revolves around his survival, and vice versa."
Lucinda coldly replies as she stares at a picture of her and her children at Dover cliffs.
"It's a blessing because Susan will never have to worry about Constance meeting someone younger, smarter, or more interesting than her and abandoning her out of the blue. Constance will never fall for some brilliant person who turns her world upside down, and abandon everything they've worked towards as a family. Susan will be her life and reason for being. That is the blessing we're referring to."
Delia recognizes the distant coldness in her words and decides not to take it any further. As they discuss various reports from the ministry, their attention drifts from the couple in the glass and they refocus everything on their plans.
Constance has the trunks delivered to their home by the house elves, and leaves the castle holding Susan's hand. Arriving at their small house in the country, she can barely keep Constance from tearing their clothes off before ravishing her. Her desire to physically please Susan momentarily scares Susan until she sees the love she always had since they were young students at Hogwarts. Seeing the need to please her resonating inside Constance, she knows it's a side effect of preserving her wife's life. Silently praying that it doesn't turn toxic, she lets Constance lead her to the bedroom and loses the rest of the evening under and on top of the sheets.
Leaving behind the wizardly world, the pair departs for a three week trip to the outer islands of Samoa. With all their cares left at home, they immerse themselves in the tropical climate and attitude of the local Muggles and leave their wands behind. Constance admitted she kept on one of her magical bracelets which acted like a wand only as a means of self-defense, but Susan never once saw her use it. Though it was very similar to the first time they visited the islands, the second time around wasn't the same. Taking notes and making connections with the local wizards who lived as Constance once had among them, they discuss many ideas for their magazine company, wanting to establish a good atmosphere for future travelers. With several local businesses interested in catering to magical clientele, Susan imagines there could one day be a wizard-only resort, acting as an intermediary between the two cultures. After weeks of sunshine, swimming, and snorkeling, she had more than enough to take back to her editors.
Fortunately, even Constance had a limit to how much sex could satiate her. Though she wasn't waiting on her hand and foot, she saw the desire to please her was Constance's primary motivation night and day. Despite Constance finding pleasure in exploring and snorkeling, Susan saw the underlying need to serve her was always present. When the pair was not interacting, Constance's inactive mode was broody and internalized, incapable of having pleasure without pleasing Susan in some fashion. Knowing that it could become dark and putrid if she ever pushed Constance away out of need, she knew she had to find a way to nip this side effect of her preservation soon. Unable to imagine a life without Constance, she knew that she could become stifled and constrained by Constance's need to satiate her whims and needs twenty-four hours a day. Though they had bickered once or twice before hand, Constance never once raised her voice at Susan, and became very subservient when they did start to argue. Even when Susan knew she was entirely wrong, Constance surrendered to Susan almost immediately, just to please her.
With weeks of work ahead of her, her company tolerated Constance's presence at work, as she was a second set of eyes on their vacation notes. Having two people to poll and quiz made a for a better source for their magazine, and Constance would be nearly impossible to leave at home and wait idly for her wife's return after the three weeks of constant contact. Slowly, Susan would extend the periods they would be apart for half the morning on the first weeks, to only meeting up for lunch by the end of the second month. As the new school year approached, she imagined Constance would be able to handle returning to Hogwarts alone, and the contraband magically-enhanced Muggle devices would sustain her for the year to come. With her hiring a private researcher to dig deep into the spell that preserved Constance, she hoped in the coming months a solution could be found before their relationship turned ugly and toxic.
The End.