Chapter Title from "Gypsy" by Fleetwood Mac. Rated MA, smut warning.
Sirius was reading when he heard the front door open. He had taken to reading Muggle classics to curb his boredom, borrowing from Remus's collection since his own family library would probably self-incinerate if Muggle tales were placed on its shelves.
His visitor was in fact Lupin himself, surprisingly sans Tonks. Sirius had gotten used to seeing them as a pair. His friend appeared weary from his travels, and Sirius immediately offered him some tea.
"It's good to see you, Moony. I hope you'll be able to stay awhile this time."
Remus nodded. "Our work is in fact complete, or rather forced to be so. I'm afraid the Dark Lord has caught on to our schemes, at least in some capacity."
Sirius felt the color drain from his face. "Is Rhiannon safe?"
Remus hesitated. "She is, though Voldemort does know of her existence."
"Fuck!" Sirius pounded his fist on the desk. "I want her back here, now, where I can protect her. She is my fiancé— her well-being should be my concern and mine alone. I am done playing these games."
Remus grabbed his arms to steady him, attempting to transfer some semblance of calm, but it didn't work. Sirius's mind was reeling, every cell wanting to spring into action.
"You have to trust the Order," his best friend reminded him gently.
"The hell I do. Dumbledore has 1000 concerns and Rhiannon is only one of them. She is my priority— to him she is only a puzzle piece." Sirius slumped down on the drawing room sofa, running a hand through his curls. He could feel a sweat breaking out as his adrenaline kicked in. He would simply have to transform into his Animagus form and sneak into Hogwarts. He'd done it before. It was not impossible.
Remus sat on the opposite sofa and sighed. "Sirius, I need you to think through this. Hogwarts is the safest place in the world. You know this. There she has Dumbledore, Severus, Minerva, and the protective enchantments of the castle itself. You trust them to take care of Harry. You have to trust them to care for Rhiannon too."
"I will never trust Severus Snape," Sirius spat.
Remus was silent and stared at him, anguish in his eyes. His friend wore his feelings on his sleeve, and Sirius always knew when something was bothering him. "What is it, Remus?"
"Sirius, I don't know how to tell you this."
Sirius flashed back to his meeting with Rhiannon in the Forbidden Forest. She had warned him they may be torn apart. He instantly knew the source of his friend's hesitation.
"You're forbidding her to see, me, aren't you?"
"I'm not, Remus insisted. "But the identity the Order has crafted for her necessitates that..."
"Then RECRAFT it!" Sirius jumped to his feet. "You're the bloody bloke they put in charge of this mission, so fix it— whatever it is! Merlin, Remus— you know I have to be with her, plain and simple. Whatever it takes."
"Whatever it takes?" Remus challenged. "Her death? Your death? Compromising the safety of your friends? Don't you think we have considered every possible scenario and weighed every possible outcome we could conceive? She is safer married to Severus, where Voldemort will assume she's being molded into the perfect Death Eater wife and..."
"Married to SEVERUS? Are you mad? I will kill him first!"
Remus massaged his face in hands tiredly and sighed. "Sirius, it's done. It's out of my hands. I promise I didn't know about the marriage part when we were creating her past and her career. That was a last minute development when Severus saw that Voldemort had a photo of her and was demanding to know her identity. The Dark Lord will be less likely to take her away from one of his followers, and Severus is a high ranking Death Eater whose absolute loyalty Voldemort must ensure. He will placate him to a certain extent, allowing Snape to advocate for her safety. You know the Dark Lord will grant you no such privilege."
"He will force her to take the Mark," Sirius seethed. "She will be one of them. Voldemort will know she's his daughter the moment he feels her power. This is completely foolish."
"And beyond your control, Sirius. You have to let go."
"I LOVE her!" Sirius shouted. "You don't just shrug and say 'alright' when someone you love is being married off to someone else and ultimately forced to join an evil fucking death cult!"
Remus looked to be at the end of his rope as he tried one last time to be the voice of reason. "You knew from the beginning she was here only on Order business. Falling in love with her was honestly a grave mistake."
"Dumbledore blessed our union."
"What the hell else was he going to say, Sirius? Say 'no' and watch you try to duel him right here at Grimmauld Place? You should know by now he tells people what they want to hear, and he bides his time. He plays games. We all know that. But ultimately his genius is what keeps us all alive, and he is our leader."
"And now you sound like you are in a cult. Why do we permit one man to dictate our lives, Remus? I should have stood firm from the very beginning and kept Rhiannon here with me. Has anyone even asked her how she feels about all this? About being married off to Snape? About never seeing me again?"
Sirius choked on the last words, even surprising himself over how emotional he was. He'd had many women over the course of his life; it came with the territory of being a Black, and having the distinct advantage of not giving a damn what anyone thought about you gave an enormous air of confidence that drew women like a magnet. But never had a woman made his heart physically hurt like it did at that moment. He reminded himself of the characters in the classic literature he'd been reading the past few days — completely and tragically enamored beyond all reach of reason and sense.
Remus had retreated back to silence, the answer to Sirius's question noticeably absent in the air between them.
"Well, Remus? Has anyone even told her?"
"I believe she knows," he finally sighed. "Minerva was supposed to have a conversation with her."
Of course. The warning she had given him in the forest about being separated. How could he be so stupid? Rhiannon had known the whole time they were last together and had said nothing. So she was just fine with marrying Severus Snape? Why hadn't she begged to leave with him, for Sirius to rescue her? He would have. Immediately. Anywhere she wanted to go.
What if she just wanted to go back down in the dungeons with Snape?
Sirius poured himself a glass of firewhisky and downed it in one gulp, then poured another. Remus didn't try to stop him. It was impossible. No woman could ever want Snape. And Merlin knows a woman like Rhiannon was out of Snivellus's league. Hell, she was out of every man's league, but especially that of a greasy, ghostly dungeon bat. No, Sirius refused to even entertain the notion. If Rhiannon felt anything at all for the git, it was Stockholm Syndrome— a confused brainwashing of a prisoner in love with her captor. It was dangerous and disgusting.
"Remus, promise me you'll get her back here for Christmas. Just that much, please." Sirius tone was lured into submission by the warming effects of the firewhiskey; instead of stark raving mad he was now calculating, simmering at a low boil.
Remus nodded, looking grateful that he could tentatively agree to something. "I think I can manage that. I can convince Albus and Severus to let her come along to provide information about Harry during the winter holidays, at least in Voldemort's assessment. All made up, all trivial, of course, but something to make her appear useful as a Death Eater spy. It will be believable enough to get her here, so you can at least have...some finality..." Remus trailed off, his shoulders visibly slumped. Sirius knew having to be the bearer of this news took its toll on his friend.
"The wedding is not to take place until summer," Remus continued. "So there is still a chance that something will change along our trajectory. We need only tell Voldemort of the plan now, but not yet follow through with it. She will, however, be announced before the winter holiday as a new Hogwarts professor. This will at least legitimize her presence in our world and give her the freedom to roam the castle, which will make certain lessons like Apparition and defense training easier."
"Professor of what?" Sirius asked incredulously. Rhiannon was undoubtedly brilliant, but she was barely more than a fifth year student.
Remus removed a glossy-covered book from his brown messenger bag, and Sirius's eyes grew wide.
"Bloody hell," Sirius muttered. "That's not her."
"No," Remus agreed. "But it is the role she is to play. It will protect her not just from her father but also from Dolores Umbridge, which is just as imperative right now. The woman who wrote this book is exactly what Umbridge would welcome at Hogwarts— order, organization, propriety, adherence to tradition. Of course in the classroom I am sure the students will receive their lessons with true Rhiannon flair, so long as Umbridge is not monitoring." Remus smiled.
Sirius gave a small laugh. The students would love her. Her youth, her exuberance, her boldness and candor. He felt somewhat sorry for the sixth and seventh year boys— they would no doubt have an uncomfortable semester ahead of them. He imagined what he would have been like with a teacher like her— willfully and happily getting himself detentions. Sirius was relieved to hear this bogus wedding between Rhiannon and Snivellus wouldn't take place until the summer; it gave him time to think. Sirius wasn't going down without a fight.
"Remus," Sirius began again. "Tell Dumbledore that Snape is no longer welcome here on Order business. I refuse to see him and have him in my home. They owe me that much. If he enters against my wishes, I make no promises as to any restraint I will show him."
"I'll do my best," Remus promised, though he looked hesitant. Dumbledore had them all dancing on strings.
"A new professor at Hogwarts? I will not have it!" Dolores Umbridge said indignantly. "Was this cleared through the Ministry? The Board? This is the first I have heard of such nonsense and I will not abide being the last to know!" Her voice was shrill and escalating about two octaves above normal.
"Now, Dolores," Dumbledore said kindly. "This has been a pet project of mine for some time. Over the years I find that our students are increasingly lacking in basic fundamentals such as how to successfully run a home, manage finances, and utilize magic for the simple purposes of living day to day life. Beginning to live like Muggles even, if you will. I feel Professor Aspenfell's area of expertise will fit the bill quite perfectly in restoring the traditional practices to wizarding homes. While we of course welcome those of mixed blood status into our world and always will, it would be a shame for our old ways of practical magic to completely die out— wouldn't you agree, Dolores?"
"Yes, but on whose AUTHORITY, Dumbledore?" she pressed.
"Well, mine, naturally. As I'm sure you are aware, educational decree 7 grants the headmaster of Hogwarts power in developing curriculum for the school and filling new positions if warranted. Board approval is only needed in the case of electing replacements, or if the candidate's credentials are in question. I think you'll agree that Professor Aspenfell's curriculum vitae is most impressive."
Severus watched as Dumbledore pushed a piece of parchment in front of Umbridge with a triumphant grin, always so confident in his plans. The saccharine cat of a woman perused it with a "HRMPH" sound reminiscent of a pink elephant.
"I want to meet her before I will agree to any such placement," Umbridge huffed.
"Splendid! Severus can arrange to have her brought here straight away."
"Severus?" She asked, blinking. "You're involved in this scheme too, Professor Snape?"
"Well, I..." Snape stammered and blushed a little, playing his role flawlessly.
Dumbledore interjected. "I'm afraid Severus may be a bit taken with our new young professor, Dolores. As you can see from her book she is quite beautiful and accomplished. Severus encountered Professor Aspenfell in my office just the other day and it seems they have been inseparable ever since."
"Fraternization between staff members is highly discouraged," Umbridge replied tersely.
"Highly discouraged, perhaps, but not expressly forbidden," Dumbledore returned. "And you see there is the very practical problem of real estate. It seems the only rooms available for renovation for her are in the Slytherin dungeons, so I find it rather fortunate that they have taken such a liking to one another. If you know our dear Severus, he does not take well to having his personal space invaded. It seems the fates have graced us with a potential companionship between the two of them to make Professor Aspenfell's transition to Hogwarts most agreeable to all involved."
There was a murmuring across the room as the other staff all made various comments on the fact that Severus Snape could be attracted (or attractive) to anyone. He ignored their assessments and sipped his tea, happy to let their gossiping minds imagine what they will. Septima Vector looked especially put out, flashing Snape indignant eyes from across the table. He resisted the urge to smirk at her, knowing they couldn't afford to make any more enemies at this point.
"Well, I expect an audience with Miss Aspenfell before nightfall," Umbridge declared, standing and raising her head defiantly. "And the Ministry will be notified of this development immediately."
"Very well, Dolores, I thank you for your consideration. Now I believe we have further staff business to discuss. On the matter of the Yule Ball— last year's during the Triwizard Tournament was quite appreciated by the students. Perhaps we should make an annual version of it? Any thoughts?"
Severus grimaced but stayed silent. Removing snogging students from steamy carriages outside in the cold winter air was not one of his favorite pastimes, but perhaps he would put the new "sex education" professor to the task this year, so she could see what she was up against. He felt an excitement buried beneath all these whirlwind developments, and it arose from the simple fact that he could soon bring Rhiannon out into the open, on his arm at that, allowing her to experience the majesty of Hogwarts. She would be allowed to make friends and take her place in their world instead of confined to dreary monotony. He knew she would thrive, and he looked forward to seeing her frequent petulance replaced with some happiness. Anything that made her more agreeable would make his life a hell of a lot easier.
The remainder of the staff meeting dragged on in a similar fashion, it being decided that a scaled down version of the Yule Ball would take place, and that Professor Aspenfell's arrival announcement would be on the ball's event agenda. Umbridge was quick to remind them that Rhiannon's placement was not a done deal, but Snape could tell she knew she was losing this particular battle.
Hogwarts staff meetings usually took place on Saturday mornings since the students were not in class, and this was no exception. Snape said his goodbyes and headed for the dungeons in preparation for a day of defense training with Rhiannon. Since they would now have a legitimate story if caught together, he planned to utilize the Room of Requirement for today's lessons, transforming it into an obstacle course of sorts. It was time to challenge her with a darker offensive strategy and develop her stamina. They would have to work quickly so he could heal her and she could freshen up before her meeting with Umbridge later that day, so there was no time to waste.
Snape entered the dungeons and immediately noticed her untouched coffee and scones on the table. With an annoyed sigh he strode to her bedroom. The door was cracked a bit so he took it upon himself to enter. The windowless room was still dark, save for one lantern that was enchanted to come on at sunrise each day. Rhiannon had clearly ignored it, as she was still sprawled across the bed, hair a mess against the white satin pillow as she breathed deeply in her sleep. She had kicked off her bedclothes and lay with one leg raised, her already skimpy neglige inched up to her hips, revealing light blue panties to his hungry gaze.
"Fuck," he muttered, regretting barging in on her. He figured she intended it to happen this way, knowing what a vixen she was. Since brewing the Eros Absentia together two nights earlier they had not yet used it. The first night they were too tired from the hours-long brewing session. Snape had spent the majority of last night making last minute plans with Dumbledore and Minerva for today's staff meeting, and he'd instructed Rhiannon to finish the remaining chapters in the sixth year Arithmancy text. Judging by her still sleeping at this late hour, he assumed she must have obeyed.
Severus's mind drifted back to their first meeting at Grimmauld Place, the last time he had watched her sleep. She had seemed so innocent and fragile then, in spite of the power radiating from her, but now the Rhiannon he knew fully matched that forceful magical energy. Just as he had that day months ago, Snape allowed himself to run a hand up her bare leg— no excuse of healing her to fall back on this time, only the fact that he was possessed by desire for her. He traced from her toes, up her ankle, the back of her calf, the inside of her thigh. She shivered a bit but her eyes remained closed. Snape stopped when he felt the heat from her center near his hand, begging him to go further. Instead he traced the very tops of her thighs, all around, everywhere but where he knew she wanted. Rhiannon let out a moan of agony, and he sprang to attention inside his pants.
For Merlin's sake, Severus, stop torturing yourself. Take her. Fuck her. She is your witch, given to you by the Order. Soon to be sanctioned by the Dark Lord. She herself begs for you. You are the only thing standing in your way.
Rhiannon's eyes fluttered open and instantly filled with desire when they locked on his. She smiled slowly. "Good morning, Severus Snape." Her arms raised into a stretch and she arched her back, sending her nightgown even further upward. Her nipples were hard and poking through the delicate ivory silk. Every cell of his body was on fire. He kept his mouth in a straight line and said nothing, only staring while his thoughts battled in his mind.
"Touch me again," she whispered, grasping his hand. She put it onto the soft skin of her stomach, tracing his finger along the lacy line of her panties. When he didn't continue the movement, she lifted her hips upward and slid the blue lace down her thighs, immediately spreading open to reveal the most luscious sight he had ever seen— pink, delicate, glistening wet, graced with soft, golden brown curls. The scent of her caught in his nose, and he was aware of the blood rushing in his veins, his own heartbeat echoing in his ear.
"Miss Aspenfell, I..."
"Shhhh," Rhiannon commanded him. "We are finished fighting about this. I want you, Severus Snape. Take me, now."
Fully clothed, Severus moved over her, lips crashing onto her mouth, his hand invading the wetness that tantalized him so. Rhiannon gasped as he slid two fingers inside her then returned her mouth to his, letting his tongue invade her roughly, licking hers.
"More," she begged in his ear. Severus added a third finger and brutally sucked the skin of her neck into his mouth, causing her to cry out.
"Yes, Severus, yes," Rhiannon was breathing heavily and writhing, bringing his hand impossibly deep into her until all his but his thumb was inside, literally bathing in her wetness. He used his thumb to rub her sensitive nub, each stroke causing her to open even more. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her sweet smell, listening to her cries of his name. The night of her birthday he had sworn to show her pleasure like she had never felt, and he was suddenly certain he was delivering on his promise.
Severus felt her hand reach down and grab his erection through his pants. It was begging to be released and to be enveloped in her delicious folds, yet he tried to resist.
"No," he protested. "Not yet. Not until you're mine."
"I'm yours, Severus. Only yours." Rhiannon was breathless. Her head was thrown back as she arched up and down on his fingers. He found the spot inside her that he knew would send her over the edge and put hard pressure against it, his mouth devouring her neck and earlobe, allowing her to palm his cock through his pants.
"Oh, Merlin," she screamed, pushing against him as hard as she could, no amount of pressure seeming to be enough for her. Her hands frantically unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Once she had freed him through his boxers she pulled free from his hand and laid back on the bed, spread open. "Now, Severus." Her eyes sparkled unnaturally, beautifully.
Severus grasped the straps of her gown and pushed them down her shoulders, taking her breast into his mouth, groaning as his tongue lashed at the soft pink nipple. His hard member plunged into her before he could reason himself out of it. Rhiannon's scream was loud enough to echo through the castle, but he no longer cared and didn't even stop to cast a silencing charm. The whole bloody world could hear and know that this goddess of a woman was his.
Her arms and legs came around him, her nails digging hard into his back, her legs pulling him deeper into her with every thrust.
"Look at me, he ordered. "Don't look away from my eyes."
"But—..."
"No. You will look at me when you come, and you will know it's me doing these things to you. No one else."
"I only want you," Rhiannon insisted. She was trembling beneath him, her climax no doubt building in every nerve fiber of her body. Severus had always suspected it would be this way— the way magical sex was supposed to be when someone met their match. He had felt the electricity flow from her at Grimmauld Place and hang in the air between them ever since. It was why she had just claimed to only want him— the bond they were creating would allow for no acknowledgement of feeling for another as long as their eyes remained locked and their bodies connected.
Severus fit within her like they were made out of one mold. He moved rhythmically and she responded in turn, no movement too frantic or hurried, controlled, burning, building, like the crafting of a spell. He saw swirls of green, black, violet, and white, in her eyes, and he was certain she saw black, earthy brown, and twinkling silver in his. The eyes did their own dance to form the bond. Such eye contact wouldn't be necessary in the future; their bodies would recognize each other, yearn to be completed by each other, each cell crying out to be satisfied whenever the other was near. It was the apex of the tension that had built between them for months as their energies had toyed with one another, preparing for the inevitable.
"What is happening?" she whispered. "I've never felt like this before. I..."
"Shhh," Severus ran his thumb along her cheek. "You're meant to be mine, and your body is becoming aware of it. So is mine. It's ancient magic. Soul bonding. We can't control it once we begin. I knew it would happen— that's why I made us wait. But I couldn't wait anymore."
"Me either," Rhiannon breathed. "I'm not myself when I'm with you. I've known it for a long time."
Severus caressed her lips, eyes still locked. He resumed his movements within her, filling her up completely, sheathed in her warmth. She cried out again but was careful not to break the eye contact, allowing him to see the pleasure radiate through her.
"Again," she whispered. "And again, please."
Severus obeyed, his thrusts picking up their pace, pulling further out each time in order to charge further in, harder. A smile spread across Rhiannon's face and she twisted her hips in response to his, sending a new shock through him.
"Yes, he growled. "Come for me." He reached his hand between them to rub, beckoning her orgasm. His lips dropped to hers briefly but he did not close his eyes.
"Severus, yes, it feels so good. Don't stop," she begged. Her pleading tore into him and he felt himself explode, spilling into her. He picked up the pace of his hand, sending her into violent tremors that drove his to even greater intensity. Her pulsing walls squeezed him further into ecstasy.
"Rhiannon!" he shouted. It was all he could do not to close his eyes and ride the waves of pleasure within his mind. Most people did, and their bond never really formed because of it. But he knew better, and instinctively, so did she. Their eyes remained dancing together through every last wave of their orgasm, down to their final gasp for air.
Snape's arms ached and he needed to collapse. He willed himself to roll over, knowing the full weight of him would crush her much smaller frame. Rhiannon immediately came back into his embrace once he moved, curving her arm around his still-clothed torso as if his absence caused her pain. He awkwardly kissed the top of her head. Now that the spell was broken he was acutely in his head again, wondering how this creature could have ever given herself to him in such a way.
No, it's different now, he realized. He understood perfectly as she always instinctively seemed to. A power beyond his or hers drew them together. He felt a relief far beyond a simple sexual release— it was a release of decades of self-doubt, a lifting of the tension not just from their time together but since he'd first known what love was — being able to relax in the knowledge that he belonged to someone, and she to him, in the most magical sense of the word. It brought with it the revelation that as much as he had loved Lily, as much as he still felt warmth and beauty whenever he thought of her, if she had been soul bonded to James Potter the way he and Rhiannon were now bound, she never could have chosen Severus, even if she consciously wanted to.
Now Rhiannon would face the same with Black.