Too Much Love Will Kill You

52 – The lord of the rings

Lorena and Moody met again later during the following week, this time in his office. He had invited her to play music there, as now the weather was very bad. It had snowed for almost three days without discontinuing, making any going out nearly impossible. Even going to Hagrid's hut – where the young woman knew she could play – had proved to be risky a venture. Only Hagrid dared to walk the way between his place and the castle. Lorena had accepted Moody's offer graciously.

There she was, sitting in his sofa, playing the violin, for his pleasure and hers. Yet, she had not played the Adagio for Strings, the piece she and Severus loved above all others. It was their piece, it belonged only to them. After almost one hour of playing, she stopped. Alastor came to sit with her in the sofa. Soon, his arm rounded her shoulders. He dragged her to him. Quickly, they kissed each other amorously. With a flick of his hand, the door was locked and a silencing charm fell over the room.

Lorena had felt the magic leaving him. She broke the kiss. "Will you keep me as your prisoner, Alastor ?" she asked with humor.

"Yes…" he growled before capturing her mouth again. "You cannot imagine how displeased I would be being interrupted now." Now his lips left a trail of fire on her neck, while one of his hands roamed over her belly while the other lost itself on her back.

Moody broke the kiss. "Come here… on my lap," he said with a raspy voice where desire could be heard. Lorena complied and soon, she found herself in Alastor's arms, on his lap. She could feel his hard-on, rock-hard now. They resumed kissing. Alastor could kiss, he was even hungry. One of his hands supported her back while the other was now under her dress, roaming over her legs.

Lorena straightened in her position. Without taking care, her legs opened while she leaned on him, her hands on his broad shoulders, kissing him with delight. She felt his hand on her legs going up higher, on her thighs, burning.

"Oh Merlin… you wear stockings…" she heard him whisper between two kisses. "My love goddess… that's sexy…" Now his hand was higher than the stocking, directly on her skin. She moaned in the kiss when she felt his hot hand there.

Suddenly, an image sprang to her mind. A very precise memory actually. Spinner's End. The sitting-room. She was sitting on Severus' lap. He was reading a poetry book to her while she kissed him gently on his neck and jawline. After a moment, he had begged her to stop otherwise he would not be able to remain in control of himself. She had stopped and smiled at him, a challenging smile on her face. Severus had taken her mouth then with passion, one of his hands had lost itself between her thighs…

The memory had come back so powerfully to her mind that Lorena broke the kiss abruptly. Moody felt the change in her attitude, without knowing why. Lorena did not take the risk of Legilimency – she Occluded her mind at once.

"I'm sorry, Lorena… maybe I shouldn't have… gone up that far…"

"No, no, that's okay, Alastor…" She was unsure though. She wanted to raise from his lap but all she managed to do was to sit there. Alastor had his both hands on her waist now, grabbing her firmly. Now she could feel his hard maleness exactly under her womanhood. It promised to be huge too… The sensation reminded her of a similar scene, once again in Spinner's End. Lorena had been sitting on Severus' lap again, for their usual evening reading. He had held her firmly by the hips, positioning her on his hard-on, so that she could feel it where it should be felt… She had been still a virgin then but Lorena remembered how excitingly delicious though elusive the sensation had been… She had even refrained from asking Severus to take her right now in his sitting-room. Oh, how enjoyable it had been !

The two memories took the best of her. "I think I should leave, Alastor," she simply said. "Otherwise, the whole Slytherin House will wonder where I am and send for a search party throughout the castle." Severus leading the party of course, she thought. He'd give me hell if he finds me here. With another man. Not for academic purposes.

Moody released her regretfully. He had his mind in check but for a split second, she had felt his thoughts through her contact telepathy. He wanted her badly. He was not sure whether he could remain in control of himself, nor for how long. He wanted to get pleasure from her and give her all he could, all he had.

As pleased and moved by the discovery as she was, Lorena could not help thinking about Severus. It was like a possession. She was possessed, bewitched, ensnared by the Potions Master, even from a distance. How could this happen ? How come the man that had raped her could do that to her ? She realized that the two memories that had flashed back into her mind, had been very pleasant memories. Memories that fueled her Patronus, when needed. Not memories belonging to the Dark side of him. All the same. What kind of man are you, Severus ?

"I'm sorry, Lorena. I didn't want to frighten you."

"You didn't, Alastor. It's just that…"

"Tell me then."

She looked nervous suddenly. "That's something I cannot tell !" she replied a bit briskly. She took her instrument and walked to the door. He joined her there and lifted the wards.

"Let me accompany you back to the Slytherin common room then."

"No, I don't think this is a good idea."

He knew what she meant. He was not even her teacher. Her D.A.D.A. teacher was Professor Snape. Besides, Lorena did not wish to meet Severus in the corridors, with Alastor Moody tagging along. Aware how nastily jealous, possessive and violent the Potions Master could be, she would be in for a rough ride back to Slytherin. No need to rile him up any further than he is already.

"I'll find my way back there. I'm very familiar with the castle and there's always someone out there, living or ghost, to help me out if needed."

Moody said nothing, he just nodded. Realizing she could not see him, he caressed her cheek a last time. "Yes, okay then, you're safe here anyway."

She returned the caress, with a smile. "Thank you, Alastor, for being so nice with me, allowing me to play here." She put a delicate kiss on his mouth.

"Go away," he rasped. "Go away before I keep you prisoner here definitively." And make you mine. He opened the door for her. She left the office. His gaze was trained on her up to the moment she disappeared behind a corner in the corridor.

Moody closed the door. His male flesh raged hard in his trousers. True, he wanted her like mad. Despite his will not to rush up matters with her, because of her condition and past history, he felt it harder and harder to remain in control of his own desire. Pfff… Besides 'Mad-Eye', I may just be called 'Mad-Cock', he thought derisively, looking at the bulge in his trousers. Fortunately, she's blind. Then he realized that the way she had sit on his lap, surely it had not escaped her attention. She was no fool. She was no longer a virgin.

How stupid I could be ! How could I do something like that, after what had happened to her ? Here's a girl that had been raped and all you make her feel is your throbbing cock ? You fool !

Moody was angry after himself. He hoped he had not scared her off. He wanted her like mad but not at her expense. He wanted to show her how much enjoyable sex was.


Lorena found her way back to the Slytherin common room without any trouble. The only problem now dwelling in her mind regarded a certain Potions Master.

What am I going to do with him ? I can't spend my whole life being reminded of him every time I'm with another man !

She reached her bed and without a look for the dorm, she laid herself on it, closing the curtains with a swift move of her hand.

But do I really want to be with another man than… than Severus ? She let her train of thoughts brought her where needed, following her intuition. True she felt good with Alastor Moody. He was caring, attentive, funny to be with. Very protective too – not so differently from Severus. Ah, again ! she caught herself.

Lorena decided to calm down. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Her hands roamed over the belly. Alan. My son. Our son. Severus' image sprang into her mind. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Why was he so insisting on her ?

She brought the ring he had gave her to her lips. A aching sensation churned at her. She could feel the Love-Snakes on her lips. Oh, somebody help me ! she prayed. A tickling sensation emanated from her ring, followed by a slight hissing sound only an acute hearing such as hers could perceive. She brought the ring to her ear. The Love-Snakes were crying. She panicked, thinking they were dying. No ! I won't let them die ! She sent them a powerful love wave. In return, the connection in her mind with the Love-Snakes made her understood that they were crying not because they were not fed with love. They had plenty of it. They were crying because they were not fed with a particular love. Her love for Severus. She did not let it flow freely outside herself.

Yes, I love him but… but he's too much for me to handle now. I can't handle him. I can't handle his brutality, his violence. Above all when it is directed at me.

Suddenly, Lorena realized that the ring was enchanted somehow, an enchantment that tied it to the other ring worn by Severus. An enchantment that tied her to him. The gift of the ring made sense now. As if the Unbreakable Vow was not enough, he has to tie me to him through this… device ! Lorena contemplated getting rid of the ring but the notion that it would kill the innocent Love-Snakes then revolted her. No, she would not do that. She would keep on wearing the ring for the tiny creatures' sake – whatever happened between her and Severus.

She remembered what Severus had told her about the rings. It would be weird to have only one spouse wearing a Love-Snakes ring. Both had to. Yes, that was most likely the truth. Now her Love-Snakes were in bad shape because of that. Feeling, sending love was not enough. The Love-Snakes required to be fed with the love felt for the person that was the recipient of the other Love-Snakes ring. Severus.

An intense feeling of panic overwhelmed her. Lorena was really bound to Severus. In more than one way. She racked her brain to remember all the details of the Unbreakable Vow – even the tiniest. She played the scene again in her mind. Yes, she remembered having sent two love waves at the rings, one for each. That had most likely sealed the enchantment – and her fate.

Most ironically, she may have been the one to have placed the enchantment on the rings…

She gasped at the implications. She was tied up to Severus Snape. One of the most powerful wizards of the time. Notorious Death-Eater. Double-agent for both the Dark Lord and Albus Dumbledore. A violent man that had not hesitated a single second to rape her out of passion for her. A man that had accepted to take great risks to spare her a horrendous fate with the Dark Lord, by taking her virginity beforehand. He had deflowered her skillfully, giving her utmost pleasure. A man that had suffered so much already, and that was not likely to end now, knowing the Dark Lord's plans for the future. There would be more sacrifices waiting for Severus Snape to make…

Wait. Stop. Lorena tried to regain control of her train of thoughts. She focused on the rational part of her mind, hoping to leave aside her emotions. She reflected upon the way the Love-Snakes magic operated. Two rings. Two people. A couple. The magic must work in both ways. From me to him indeed. But from him to me too. It cannot be one-sided, otherwise, his own Love-Snakes may die. So how does he feed them ? Does that means he feel something for me ?

She had to admit that she had never considered things from that perspective. From a logical point of view, according to the Love-Snakes' magic, Severus had to feel something for her in order to feed his own Love-Snakes. Unless he had enchanted the rings so that they both could be fed with only my love ? Knowing the man's magical abilities, that could not be ruled out. At the same time, he was so much used to hide things from others, that he may have hid his own feelings somewhere further deep in his mind than the hidden recess where she had found the faint light of his soul… One could not be sure with a man as complex as Severus Snape.

She sat on her bed, her legs crossed under her, her eyes closed in deep meditation. I may try to enter into contact with him from a distance. Her right hand clasped her left hand, ensuring her ring be surrounded by her palm. Usually, she needed physical contact to touch someone's mind. This was the first time she would do so without a physical contact. But the Love-Snakes would be here to compensate. If a part of him is contained in that ring, surely a part of me is contained in his. I should be able to contact the part of my soul contained in his ring, while he could contact his own contained in mine.

That was worth trying. She focused on him, on his image. A strange quiet invaded her soul. I can do it. She felt the tickling on her ring finger. Her mind wandered. Severus… Severus… Severus…


Severus was in his potions lab, checking the vials left by the fourth-year students for the assignment he had given them earlier, for further grading. Most of them were below standards. That set him in a foul mood. Wondering what he was doing here teaching them dunderheads set him in an even fouler mood.

Not that he had not been before. He had been in a foul mood since the moment he had seen Lorena being kissed by Moody nearby the Forbidden Forest. He had thought first that the ex-Auror was abusing her, enjoying his teacher authority and her disability, to have a good time with her. He had been ready to fly to her rescue when he had noticed that she enjoyed the kisses Alastor was giving her. That had stopped him dead in his tracks.

By the moment he had reached the castle, Severus was in a perfect killing mood. Fortunately, he had met nobody, student or staff. He would have been ready to hex them on the spot. How could she do that to him ?

That's easy to understand. Mad-Eye is nice with her while you… you… you raped the woman you... He could voice his action in his mind clearly, but not his feelings.

Now in his lab, he felt a tickling sensation on his chest. He rubbed the spot there under his garments. But the sensation was still there, persisting. The ring. He discarded the thought up to the moment when the tickling became too much unbearable to be neglected.

He put down the vial he had in hand. He began to retrieve the chain holding his own ring from under his garments. The tickling sensation left his chest but once the ring was in his hand, it was there again, tickling his palm.

Severus was aware of the magic animating Love-Snakes. Yet, he could not gather what was happening now. The image of Lorena sprang into his mind. A searing pain stabbed his heart.

The young woman's image persisted in his mind, even blinding him. He had to lean against the table. His breathing was ragged now. She seemed to look at him with a sad look in her eyes, on her face, almost reproachful. He even heard her call him. Severus… Severus… Severus…

Am I going mad ? He tried to block her from his mind, Occluding it as much as possible. But she was still there. Out of reflex, he threw the chain and the ring away on the table, breaking the contact. Her image disappeared at once. He sighed deeply, catching his breath, regaining control over his mind, from the violent emotion he had felt.

But was it really an emotion ? He drew his wand out and with a Levitation charm, he brought the chain up into the air, the ring hanging at the bottom, at his eyes level, for a closer examination. He checked it, his gaze suspicious on it, for any traces of curse or Dark magic or whatever. Of course, he found none. He knew it as he had been the one to buy them from a trusted source and enchant them afterwards. He wondered if the enchantment he had cast on the two rings had now escaped him somehow. Knowing the girl's magical abilities, that could not be ruled out.

Clearly, there was something in the Love-Snakes magic he had not grasped entirely. He would have to come back to the place where he had gotten them. Maybe they would help.


Lorena's eyes fluttered open suddenly. The connection had been severed somehow. Because there had been a connection of some sort. She was sure of that. She had felt surprise, pain, anger. Further deep, another feeling, weak, trying to survive in the maelstrom of more intense feelings. Passion. Love. Love with a strong tint of regret or remorse, that was not very clear however.

How can it be ? How can he feel… love ? I mean, he had told me that he would not feel love for me. Never. He had told me that my own feelings would be unrequited.

Lorena did not understand. She did not know much about the magic operating in Love-Snakes. There was only one way to know more. Time for action. She opened the curtains of her bed. She heard noise in the common room. Apparently, it was time for dinner. She would not lose time in the Great Hall though, rushing her meal in as quick as possible. She knew exactly where she would spent her evening.

At the library.


OK, I agree, the pun for this chapter title was easy - it had been too tempting though. Who's the lord of the ring here though ? Severus or Lorena ? The one that gave the rings or the one that received them ? Any idea, dear readers ?

There's a slight allusion to Horcruxes too... find it.

Please rate and review ! Thanks in anticipation !