Too Much Love Will Kill You
37 – The Unbreakable Vow
Lorena had chosen the bed in her dorm the closest to the bathroom and the exit for two reasons. She did not wish to disturb everybody in her dorm when her pregnancy would be more advanced. She wanted to sneak out of the dorm as often as possible if needed without drawing attention on her.
She was in the dorm occupied by four other sixth-year girls, young ladies that were one or two years younger than her. But she did not care. She did not wish to be with the seventh-years because she may need help from people with currently the same timetable as hers. She would have plenty of occasions to meet her former housemates now in the seventh-year too.
Lorena took a medieval-cut dress from her trunk and laid it on her bed. She closed the curtains of her poster bed around for privacy. She could not see physically but her extra sensorial perception compensated in this regard. The dress was made of a beautiful, rich, dark green fabric that suited her complexion and honored her House colors. It had been a gift from her beloved grandmother who had helped her modify it to accommodate the young girl's tastes.
There was nobody around in the dorm. She took the dress with her and went to the bathroom. She removed her school robes and the plain dress she wore under. She put the beautiful green dress above her undershirt carefully. She adjusted the dress once inside and she felt suddenly like one million galleons. She turned herself to the enchanted mirror and before she could ask it how she looked, the mirror exclaimed that the dress fitted her perfectly. She turned on herself so that the mirror could have a full view. The magical implement approved. Nothing was to be changed. She thanked the mirror and removed the dress.
The dress was one of her rare belongings that had real value. Beside the Snape medallion that hanged between her breasts. Severus had taken it back from Lorena, promising her he would give it back to her during the Vow ceremony. The jewel reminded her of Severus and what they had shared and been for each other, well before he had blown everything high sky by giving in to his lust.
Thinking of it, she decided she would not wear the dress for the Unbreakable Vow. No, this would not be the right opportunity to do so.
Saturday, after lunch. The Great Hall was almost empty of the students as there was Quidditch. Ravenclaw against Gryffindor. Not an official match, just a friendly training between the two houses. Yet everybody wanted to spend a lovely afternoon outside, watching the game. The whole school would be at the pitch. Including the Slytherins. Lorena was persuaded that her housemates would take sides for Ravenclaw – still that old silly detestation between Slytherin and Gryffindor. She had never followed Quidditch matches but she had to learn quickly how the inter-House rivalry dynamics worked if she wanted to make friends outside her House. Learning this was indispensable a knowledge, she had deemed in a true Slytherin fashion. In the sake of her relationships with the people from the other Houses, she was careful to avoid certain issues. The weather was fine so there was no reason for anyone not to go and see the match.
Except herself. And a certain Potions Master.
Lorena went to her dorm. There, she took everything she needed to get ready. She took a green dress – the same one she had on for the concert – a clean undershirt, her usual shoes. She made a beeline to the bathroom – as quick as her extra sensorial perception could allow it. She met nobody and closed herself in the bathroom. There was no noise in the dungeons. Nobody around.
She quickly discarded her garments, took a quick shower, put on the clean undershirt, the dress, her shoes. She put on some make up and arranged her hair thanks to magical spells – which was a great help for a blind person. The mirror complimented her too. She appreciated the magical implement, contrary to other girls who found it annoying most of the time. It was important for her to get another opinion when one's own eyes could no longer be used. Especially now as she could not tell another soul about her project.
Her fingers felt the void between her breasts, where the Snape medallion Severus had given her, used to hang. She liked to feel it several times a day, under her garments, like a reassuring presence. She missed it but today it should come back around her neck. She wondered what Severus had wanted to do with it. She preferred to hide it, not to attract attention on such a lovely jewel. Not that she feared theft but it would have triggered off too many questions about its origins, questions she did not wish to reply.
When she was ready, Lorena left the bathroom, with her plain clothes in her arms. She threw them on her bed. She checked around everything was in good order, closed the curtains around her bed. Her wand in hand, she left the Slytherin dorm quickly. It was almost two o'clock.
Lorena made it quick to the Headmaster's office. She was on time there. Severus was there too. He must have felt her presence as he turned towards her. She tried to feel if there was someone around before calling. Her extra sensorial perception, the bond she shared with the Potions Master made her sense Severus was already around.
"Professor Snape ?" she called out. In case there would be someone else, she preferred to call him formally.
"Miss Nottingham. Here. Follow my voice," Severus replied with a silky tone that sent butterflies in Lorena's stomach. She went to him and he took her hand in his. If he did so, that meant there was nobody around to see them.
The Potions Master was dressed in his usual attire, up to the black school robes. "Let's go inside and meet the Headmaster. I preferred to wait for you here, in case you would not know the password."
His tone was gentle. Lorena smiled at him. He said the password to the gargoyle that let them access the moving staircase leading to the Headmaster's office. Albus Dumbledore came to welcome them. "Ah, you're both here, that's great. Let's start then."
There, in full light, Severus watched Lorena. She was so lovely in green.
"Honoring Slytherin ?" he asked.
"Always," she said softly.
Severus was still looking at her, as if he had been cast the Imperio Curse and ordered not to part his eyes off from her. She was stunningly, divinely beautiful. His expressive black eyes glittered with admiration, need, desire, lust, possessiveness.
He detailed her outfit and the word she had spoken earlier reached his mind at last. Yes, she was proud to be a Slytherin. He noticed the Snape medallion was missing from around her neck. He smiled eventually.
"You're… beautiful, Lorena," Severus whispered once he remembered how to speak, his dark eyes sparkling on her. "Before we start… take this." Lorena felt the metal of the Snape medallion on her skin while the Potions Master was tying the necklace. The pendant was warm, certainly due to the time it must have spent in his frock coat pocket. Lorena closed her eyes, happy to have retrieved a familiar object.
Once he was done with the necklace, Severus turned the pendant between his fingers. On the back of it, a few words were carved : Property of Prof. Severus Snape. Now she was marked as his – in sort of. The bearer of the Snape medallion was a Snape property after all. "Just one thing, do not show it to anyone. Not even to your classmates or your other teachers. Nobody. It's between you and me only." Of course, he would not read her the words carved. Though he was sure she would figure it out soon.
Albus Dumbledore could not but grin. His Potions Master would have never admitted it but he looked like a man in love. Deeply in love. And he doesn't even know it, the old man mused. He sighed silently. "I suggest we may start. The Unbreakable Vow. The both of you, kneel down, face to face."
Severus took Lorena's hand in his and they both knelt down, face to face, as instructed. She was not looking at him properly said but her empty pale gray gaze was trained in the direction where his voice was coming from. His right hand seized her right wrist in a powerful grip. "Take my wrist in the same manner, Lorena," he told her.
She did as told. Her right hand grasped his right wrist. She could only grip half of it while his hand embraced fully hers. She knew how taller, bigger, stronger he was compared to her. She had not realized till then how fragile and small she had felt between his arms, consenting or not. His charcoal eyes had a smoldering look on her, ready to bore into her soul.
As the Bonder, Dumbledore had drawn his own wand out and got closer to them. The tip of it was almost touching the clenched arms. "Severus Snape, will you do every thing in your power to ensure the life of Lorena Nottingham be safe against Voldemort's deadly plans ?"
A second or two elapsed. The Potions Master had his eyes fixed on Lorena's face and yet he seemed strangely remote, his face blank as if he was witnessing the scene from a distance. The words sank in him – Albus had left him a relatively wide margin which he could maneuver on.
"I will."
A golden jet came out of Albus' wand and wrapped itself around their wrists, like a chain.
"Severus Snape, will you do every thing in your power and to the best of your abilities, to make sure that the baby Lorena Nottingham's carrying shall not be used by Lord Voldemort for his Dark magic purposes, and therefore take any required measure in this regard ?"
Severus' lips parted a bit. However, his words seemed to remain stuck in his throat. Albus' words had registered in his mind and he had to reckon that the Headmaster had been careful in his choice of words, so as to leave him the maximum chances to fulfill the Vow. Including sacrificing the child if this could thwart Voldemort's Dark magic plans.
"I will."
Another golden jet came out of Dumbledore's wand and joined the other jet, still glowing, adding an extra link to the chain forming on their wrists.
"Severus Snape, will you engage yourself to marry Lorena Nottingham, once this is possible in consideration of Lord Voldemort's plans, so that she may not end up a destitute, despised, unwed mother, as she's carrying your child, and so that your child may be legitimate ?"
The expression on his face was unreadable this time. However, through their bond and the contact telepathy, Lorena could feel the emotions that agitated him at this very minute. His feelings stirred her own. She refrained from sending him a love wave as she did not wish to influence him or tamper with the Vow's magic. He remained silent for long seconds that seemed like an eternity, measuring the oath he was about to take – and that would bind him to the young woman knelt in front of him.
"I will."
As Severus was letting out these two words, a third jet of golden flame slithered its way to their wrists from the Headmaster's wand, and chained itself to the two others, third link of a now glowing chain that magically bonded them together.
The chain continued to glow as such for a few minutes. At the same time, the Snape medallion began to glow too, as if it were interacting with the Vow's magic. Severus and Albus noticed it of course while Lorena felt warmth on her bosom, where the medallion rested. She said nothing though, just registering the fact, aware that the Snape medallion had been endowed with special magical abilities during the virginity ritual, besides its own very original properties.
When the Unbreakable Vow bright links had faded away, Dumbledore asked them to stand up. "Now you are both bonded by the Unbreakable Vow. You are both aware of the consequences if the Vow is not fulfilled or broken."
"Death for me," Severus whispered.
Lorena shivered. She did not want him to die.
"I guess you have the rings, Severus."
The rings ? Lorena thought. Two rings ?
"Indeed, Albus. If you could hold the box for me, please." The Potions Master took a small box from his frock coat pocket which he gave to the Headmaster for holding. He opened it over two bands. These were no ordinary wedding bands however. They were made of a silvery matter. A close look showed that the bands were moving slightly. Each band was made of two tiny glittery silver snakes with emerald-green eyes, intertwined with each other to form a circle. Each little snake was no longer than three inches long but they were alive and hissing lightly.
Dumbledore could not hide his surprise. "Oh, Severus, Love-Snakes ! These are truly rare !"
Lorena could not gather what had prompted the Headmaster's reaction. "Love-Snakes ? What's that ? I can hear…"
She stopped in her tracks. The little snakes' hissing had reached her ears. She smiled. "Baby snakes around ? They sound cute." She listened to them. "I can hear them. They… They need… Are they asking for… love ?" She was puzzled.
"These are Love-Snakes indeed, Lorena." Severus felt the need to explain. "They always come as twins. They are used in some exotic love potions sometimes, more rarely as jewels. One of their magical properties is that once they find themselves in contact with a being that has accepted them, they remain motionless with their twin and retain their present silver color forever, adapting themselves to the size of the finger that welcomes them. Of course, they can be removed for a short period of time but they have to remain in contact with the skin of the person that has adopted them as much as possible. For that reason, they were used as the ultimate symbol of union and love, that is, wedding rings. However, as most people do not like snakes or even hate them, or at least do not see them fit for wedding rings, they are no longer used as such."
Something stirred in Lorena's soul. Severus had pronounced the words 'love' or 'loving' several times in a few minutes – more than he had ever done in several years undoubtedly.
"But I thought that they would be fine for you as you obviously do like them, Lorena. You're not afraid of them and I even thought that they would perfectly match your Slytherin pride. Silver color and eyes of emerald green."
"Indeed, Severus, you're right. And yours too, I guess." She paused. "Besides, if they are really rare… I feel honored to receive them."
"It must be said that to enhance the Love-Snakes' chances of survival, both bonded people have to wear Love-Snakes rings. Only one of them would be… weird. You see, these four come from the same batch. They have never been separated. They interact naturally with each other, therefore establishing a special bond between both rings. That's why I chose two rings instead of one."
At least, Lorena had one reply to her questions.
Albus was impressed, despite the fact that he knew about Love-Snakes. "More seriously, Lorena, how do you know they're asking for love ?" the old man asked, his blue eyes narrowing on the young woman.
She looked embarrassed by his question. "I… I just felt it like this. I have an affinity with living creatures, you know, Professor."
Dumbledore glanced at his Potions Master in a mute question but Severus was just looking at the little snakes writhing in the box. "They're hungry but they don't bite. We should not let them wait."
"You mean they remain alive, even as rings ?"
"Yes, they do. They just assume a silvery, motionless form but they're well alive inside."
"What does keep them alive then ?"
"They feed on what you give them from deep down your heart. They just need care and attention mostly."
"The cement of couples," Albus commented. "How true."
"And love," Lorena whispered. Severus said nothing. "And what can make them… die ?"
"They'll feed on what you give them. They die if they are no longer fed… properly."
His reply let Lorena thoughtful. Does that mean that he has to give them love to feed them ? Does that mean that… he has to feel… love ?
He took one pair of writhing Love-Snakes and put them in Lorena's hand. "You first. Don't be afraid, they look fragile but they're not. They'll even feel stronger once they're in contact with you. I think they'll appreciate your 'Earth' magic by the way. Don't worry either for your baby. Their magic has no effect whatsoever. On the contrary."
She felt the little creatures moving in her palm. As soon as they entered in contact with her skin, they formed a circle. With her fingertips, she seized them gingerly. They hissed but Lorena gathered that they were happy to feel a loving touch. She focused her 'Earth' magic on them. Without knowing why, she loved them already. Out of instinct, she sent a powerful love wave to them. That way, her 'Earth' magic would be with them – with him – like it had been when she had given him back the Snape medallion endowed with her love.
She took Severus' left hand but he moved back. "No. Not this hand, please." The Dark Mark, she could hear from him in her mind. I don't know if it may kill them, but better be safe than sorry. He gave her his right hand instead. Albus had understood at once the motives as if he had been in his Potions Master's mind.
The twin Love-Snakes had formed a circle, head to head, their little eyes sparkling like emeralds, their mouths in contact as it ready to kiss each other. She slid the circle thus formed unto Severus' long, thin ring finger. Instantly, the small snakes stopped writhing and adopted a motionless posture, almost kissing each other. Their eyes were still glittering though. They were perfectly fitting Severus' finger size.
"Looks like these two adopted you, Severus," Albus said. "That's a really beautiful idea you had indeed."
The Potions Master took the remaining pair between his long fingers. They were writhing and crying at the same time. "These two look very hungry. Give me your hand, Lorena." In contact with a human skin, the Love-Snakes formed another circle in his palm. Similar to his own ring, they were head to head, in the same posture, as if ready to kiss, their tiny eyes glistening. Severus slid the ring thus formed along her ring finger. They hissed a last time in obvious pleasure before assuming their silver, motionless shape, adapting themselves to her finger size. Lorena had sent them a love wave while Severus was sliding the ring along her finger.
"They look very snug on you, Lorena," Albus commented, aware that she could not see the outcome.
"I can feel it, Professor. Yes, I can feel they're alive inside. I don't know why but… they are."
"The power of love, Lorena," Albus said thoughtfully. "One of the most powerful magic. Don't forget it."
Severus remained silent. He was perfectly aware of the young woman's abilities to communicate with any alive being, through her 'Earth' magic. He had also felt the two love surges she had sent, when she had slid the first ring to his finger, when he had slid the second ring to her finger.
"Oh, I was about to forget the most important," the Headmaster said in a hurry. "Severus, now you may kiss your betrothed, of course."
The Potions Master glanced at the older wizard. He would have preferred to keep that for a moment alone with Lorena but he was aware Dumbledore would not relent on this one. At the same time, he did not know when he had the opportunity to kiss her again, from what she had told him earlier about her not wanting him to touch her again. Though he was not one to display his emotions in front of anybody, he would make an exception this time.
Lorena did not want to let the old wizard know that she did no longer wish to have an intimate contact with Severus. She said nothing, readying herself to accept the Potions Master's kiss.
This was the custom in any such bonding ceremony in the wizarding world. Severus took the young woman he had just bonded himself with by her waist and dragged her to him gently. He felt she put her hands on his chest. He perceived she was hesitant.
Severus tightened the embrace around her. Through the bond, he let her know all the longing, the passion, the lust he nurtured for her. His want and need of her. His arms embraced her frame and Lorena felt how far stronger he could be compared to her, how weak she could become between his arms.
He gave her a quick, shy kiss, his lips barely meeting hers, though he would have loved long seconds of a passionate, sensual contact. Not in front of the Headmaster, he thought. Real kisses would be for them only, once they would be alone. Yet, at the same time, Severus remembered that Lorena did not wish to have anything intimate with him any more.
Dumbledore smiled at the couple. Severus was still holding Lorena against him. His charcoal eyes glittered on her intensely.
I desire you. I want you. I need you. I lust for you.
So, how do you think Severus will feed his Love-Snakes ?
I was inspired by the Half-Blood Princemovie to describe the Unbreakable Vow ceremony here. I loved the intensity set by Alan Rickman in this scene, especially his gaze and expression. *sigh* Last but not least, the music is just gorgeous - I wrote this chapter with it playing in the background.
Please rate and review ! Thanks in anticipation ! More chapters to come !