THUMP!
Lucinda gasped and shot up in her bed at the nose to see a large tentacle accidentally hitting the barrier as it swam past. She groaned and flopped back on the bed, pulling the covers over her head. After a moment, she pulled them off and cast a tempus charm.
6:00 am.
Rolling out of bed, she grabbed her toiletries and peeked out of her chambers to the common room to see that it was empty. Corey, the Gryffindor Head Boy, must have already gone down to breakfast. Thank Merlin. She couldn't stand him. He was the usual preppy Gryffindor jock that she'd prayed it wouldn't be. She couldn't believe she was sharing a dorm with him the entire year. She had three hours to get ready and eat breakfast, which was enough time.
Running to grab a shower, quickly, she used a charm to dry her hair and style it in the usual Malfoy style. While styling her hair she saw an envelope with her name on it sitting on top of a journal on her nightstand. She sat down on the bed and picked it up, shaking it, trying to figure out what's inside it.
"Revelio," she whispered, checking for any jinx or hexes. Once she was sure, she opened the letter and started reading. Placing a hand over her mouth, tears of joy spilt from her eyes as she finished and picked up the journal, running her hand over the embossed wolf. She had done it. She was Professor Snape's apprentice. Muttering a quick, "exaresco", the water evaporated from her hair, before grabbing her bag and heading down to the Great Hall where she found her little brother already gushing to Harry over breakfast. Did he ever slow down?
Once reaching the Great Hall she allowed herself to catch her breath and sit down at the Ravenclaw table to say hi to her friend Eliza.
"Hey Ez, already making new friends?" Lucinda looked over Eliza's shoulder to the first years sitting beside her.
Eliza looked up from her book that was propped on the table, leaning up against a jug of pumpkin juice. Taking a sip of her tea, she looked over and smiled. "Oh yeah. You haven't met. Lucinda Malfoy, meet Padma Patil and Hermione Granger. They just joined our ranks. Hermione, Padma, meet my best friend, Lucinda Malfoy. She's Head Girl."
"Hi, you can just call me Lucinda." She smiled before giving Eliza a hug. "I'll see you later, Ez. It seems like my little brother is at it again."
"They've been here since they started serving breakfast. Poor kid hasn't been able to get a word in. Your brother has been taking up the entire conversation! It's completely one-sided!"
Lucinda laughed. "Yeah, well. He's been talking about Harry Potter non-stop for years. He's just happy the boy actually wanted to be his friend."
Eliza rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Someone, he didn't have to bribe…"
Lucinda shot her a look before deciding against it and walking over to the Slytherin table. "...And then there's that oaf of a groundskeeper, Haggy, or whatever his name is. Was his mum a giant or something? How does that even work? Poor guy couldn't even get it in!" Draco laughed obnoxiously.
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Hagrid came to get me from my Aunt and Uncle's. He's actually really great. He even bought me my first owl!"
Draco was quiet. "Oh...sorry…"
Harry shrugged. "I mean...you know more than I do. I just think he's really great."
Lucinda sat down next to them. "Oh, so you're actually able to speak? My brother has a bad habit of not letting others talk when he's speaking."
Draco rolled his eyes. "He can speak whenever he wants to…"
She rolled her eyes and looked up at the Head table and scanned it looking for Severus not seeing him. She sighed and finished her breakfast. Before getting up, she ruffled Draco's hair then Harry's and hugged them both. "See you later boys, Drake be good." Making her way down to the dungeons, she knocked on the door of the potion's classroom, only to hear a low voice respond.
"Enter!" Severus said on the other side of the door. Lucinda pushed the door open and entered, setting her bag down, before walking up to Severus.
"Good morning, Professor," she hummed, folding her hands behind her back and smiling up at him.
"Good morning Miss. Malfoy...you're early this morning." Severus turned his head away from the chalkboard that he was writing brewing instructions on for his first class. Today's first class was to be double potions with seventh year Slytherins and Ravenclaws.
"Did you sleep okay?" She whispered, wondering how he was after their heated talk the night before. She only received a grunt in return as he went back to writing on the chalkboard. Lucinda looked at the floor sheepishly, kicking her foot back and forth before locking her silver irises with his. "I didn't see you at breakfast, so I came to see if you were feeling any better after last night," she whispered.
"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" He gruffed.
"You don't seem fine." She whispered feeling like he was pushing her away, again.
He slammed his chalk on the table, breaking it in half. She yelped and backed away. He pinched his nose in annoyance and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I received a letter with the most troubling news this morning and I'm afraid I'm not in my right mind. Please, excuse my anger. It's not towards you." He let out his breath and opened his eyes. "How did you sleep?"
"Well, I woke up to a giant tentacle slamming the barrier this morning. So that was nice. Other than that...it was good. Though, I barely had time to charm my hair this morning before rushing down to breakfast. So...not all that good."
He chuckled at the thought of the giant squid. He remembered that happening to him once or twice. "Though, for assurance, next time might I suggest not charming your hair to be neon pink?" He nearly choked while trying to stifle a laugh, pressing his hand to his lips. She gasped with embarrassment and reached up to pull a strand of her hair forward so she could see it was actually her natural blonde.
"Damn you, Severus!" She huffed her face, turning a bright crimson. He barked out a laugh and proceeded to run a chalky finger down her nose, leaving a ghostly white trail behind.
She let a little growl out. "Wait, what was the news? It must have been terrible." Her face was still red from falling for his trick, her hand reaching up to wipe the chalk off her nose.
"Nothing for you to concern yourself with, my dear. Not right now…"
"Severus, if it's bad news…"
"It's quite alright, my dear." He winked at her and retrieved a new piece of chalk from the box to finish writing out the lesson.
"I also got the letter this morning sir, when do I start?" Her eyes dropped to the floor hiding her emotions.
He sighed and reached out to tilt her chin up, meeting her eyes with his. Melting her sadness away, with just a glance. "You start tomorrow. Here is a time turner to help move along our lessons." He let her go immediately, the moment passing just as quickly as it had started when there was a knock on the door. He must have closed it the moment she entered. She slid into her seat to copy down the notes on the board. Additionally, she copied down extra notes here and there. Over the summer past several summers, he had taught her outside of the classroom. Giving her tricks other than what he taught, except for this past summer...Her hair was in her face as she chewed on her nail, pretending to not listen in on the conversation.
"Ahh, Severus, my boy! How are you this morning?" Albus said, as he entered the room taking notice of Lucinda Malfoy sitting in the front row concentrating hard on taking her notes.
"I was fine until you showed up, old man. Now, what do you want?" He sneered in response to the headmaster.
Albus folded his hands behind his back. "Ah, Miss Malfoy, you're here quite early. Starting your internship promptly, I see. Congratulations, by the way. I know you have been pining…" His eyes flickered to Severus. "...For this slot for years now."
Lucinda flickers her steel-grey eyes to Albus. "Obviously. Why wouldn't I be here to discuss the new first years? Also, what would you know of my pining? You don't know me." By this point her eyes molten silver with flecks of gold.
"Miss Malfoy, please," Severus gruffed, returning to his usual cold and unfeeling persona of the Bat of the Dungeons. "Albus, if you would accompany me to the corridor so we don't disturb Miss Malfoy's lessons?"
Lucinda growled a little under her breath before staring at Severus "Yes, sir."
Albus chuckled. "Actually, this is a private matter, Severus. I would feel much more comfortable here, thank you. Though I appreciate your dedication to Miss Malfoy's studies. It seems she chose well in terms of Mentor."
Severus nodded and turned to address her. "Miss Malfoy, if you would?"
Lucinda nodded and stood, leaving the room for the two professor's to talk amongst themselves. She stood on the outside of the door and pressed her ear but it seemed to have been warded by Albus when she left. "Damnit…"
"Doing a little eavesdropping, eh, Malfoy Princess?" A familiar voice said from behind her. She yelped in surprise and stepped back, nearly falling but arms caught her and helped her stand.
"Woah, there. Don't want to hit your head," another similar voice said.
"I think we got something for that too. Don't you think George?"
"I think so, Fred."
Lucinda growled at the two trouble makers, frustrated by their appearance. "If you two would kindly stop speaking in riddles, what do you have?"
"We've got a lot of stuff," Fred grinned.
"Whatever strikes your fancy," George elbowed him. "Though, I think something else has caught you fancy."
Fred and George looked at each other and grinned, again. "We've got this thing. Helps us out around the castle."
George raised his hands. "It's not for sale, but we know where you were last night."
"And with who."
Lucinda flushed red. "Will you two stop finishing each other's sentences? It's weird as hell."
"Don't worry," Fred grinned, not responding. "We won't tell as long as you do us a little favor."
George nodded. "We've been developing some new products. Something to extend our line of business. Something we may feel useful...to you."
"Try our new product and your secret's safe with us," Fred grinned, drawing his finger across his lips.
Lucinda looked towards the door, she sighed she would do anything to protect him. "I'll try it."
"George?"
"Fred?" They nodded and Fred pulled out a strange device with two ears on each end of the string attached to it. "Extendable Ears."
"We need to know if they work," George said.
"Or if they'll blow up. So, have fun," they said, saluting her and running off.
Lucinda grumbled and slid the ear under the door and the other to her ear. She waited patiently to hear something.
"I don't know what you're trying to tell me, Albus," she heard Severus gruff. "I don't know what you're insinuating. Malfoy is my student. Nothing more. Do you really think I would destroy my career by bending the rules on the Code of Conduct?"
Albus chuckled. "I know you would never, Severus. I just can't help but wonder if she knows that. The girl obviously cares for you!"
"I helped raise her, Albus!"
"It is not, at all, strange in our world to...groom possible partners for the future…"
"You are out of line, Albus!" Severus screamed at the top of his lungs. "How dare you insinuate that I would do such a thing! You've known me since I was a child!"
"And what about...her…?"
Lucinda furrowed her eyebrows at the comment as silence dropped in the classroom. She heard Severus choke and a sound like he spun on his heel. "What...about...her?" It's obvious they weren't speaking about herself anymore. Something had changed. Despite not being in the room, she could feel the anger wafting off Severus at the comment.
"How do you think she would react?"
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
Albus chuckled. "Do you think I didn't know? Many years ago, when I took Harry to Privet Drive that dark night, I cast a blood protection spell on the house, but for some reason, it didn't take. I had no idea why. I thought you would have at least...well, with Lily, I mean."
"Albus, you're playing a dangerous game…"
"He's not Lily's...I know that. I know exactly who he is, Severus. You have no need to hide it from me. What would she think?"
"I don't have time for this…"
"Tell me, Severus. What would she think?"
"WHY DOES IT MATTER? She's gone! Vanished!" There was a beat between speaking. "Unless she didn't…"
"I don't know what you're trying to imply, Severus."
"What did you do, Albus? Why did she disappear so suddenly? She left. Vanished. Then two months later her belongings disappeared from my house...what happened to her in those two months? She was good. So good and kind. Then all of a sudden I find images of her at the long trail of organ-less bodies? After all that time? For 10 years she's killed and vanished into thin air! She's become a monster, Albus! She's become the villain in the stories that replaced the Boogeyman! She's more feared than Death! I hear stories of how that woman has stared the Devil in the face and even he cowers in her wake! And now, after all these years, I get a letter from Lucius saying his spies have found her again...in LONDON! What did you do?"
Lucinda sucked in a breath and clamped her hand over her mouth. Who was this woman? If they were talking about Harry's true mother, then why didn't Severus seem happy? Why did he seem so afraid of her? Why was he calling her a monster worse than Death? Wouldn't he be happy about her return?
There was a long silence. "I see. I think you should calm down, Severus. We can speak about this when you're not so riled up."
"What DID YOU DO?"
Lucinda pocketed the extendable ears and ran to his office, flew into his private chambers shifting to her wolf, and rammed through the door into the potions room, coming to a skidding halt in the classroom watching Severus holding Albus by his collar. Drool dripped from her mouth as her menacing growls could be heard throughout the classroom.
'S-Sev?' She whimpers in his mind.
Fire burned in his eyes as he stared at Albus, not looking at her. "When I find out, Albus, and I will learn of your deeds. Whatever you did to her...I will come for you. And you will fall." He let him go, pushing him back, almost making the man fall over.
For a moment, Lucinda saw that he was almost afraid of Severus, just as she was. The old man caught his balance. He grabbed his wand from his sheath and lunged at Severus, the kind old man facade melting away. "I made her strong…" He seethed.
Lucinda launched herself in between them bringing herself up to her full height ears back tail and hackles up. She would not let the man hurt her mate.
Severus raised his eyebrows in surprise at her presence and how defensive she had become, before looking back up at Albus. "Strong? You made her into the monster Potter said she was all those years ago. Whatever you did...you turned her to the darkness!"
Albus stared at the wolf and back at Severus. "I think I will take my leave, Severus," he said, sheathing his wand. "I think we should speak about this...calmly...at a later date."
Lucinda crouched as if about to attack; she was seeing red, never before had her wolf's anger been triggered to the point she lost control of it. She snapped her jaws at the old man to get him away from Severus.
As Albus backed out of the room, Severus turned around, trying to calm his own anger, running his hands over her fur. "Shhh, calm down. It's okay. It's okay. It's over. I'm sorry I lost my temper. It's okay… Luc…" He said, shaking his head. She wasn't Lucinda anymore. "Pandora...It's over."
Pandora wouldn't calm down. She wanted to take out the threat. The wolf shook her head still growling and shaking her hackles still up straight.
"Pandora, listen to me. If you go after him, you will die. I need you to calm down. He's harmless now...I promise. I need you to calm down…" He stroked her fur, the color of moonlight, and forced her to look into his eyes. "Calm down…"
The white wolf whimpered and shook her head, ears flat. She sniffed him and looked over him to make sure he was unharmed. She then collapsed onto the floor and slowly shifted back. Lucinda weakly up to his chest. "I'm sorry, love," she whispered.
Severus sighed and cradled her, kissing her hair. "I'm fine…" He pressed his lips into a firm line and felt his hand graze something, before pulling out the extendable ears. "Ah...the Weasleys, I presume?"
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I didn't trust him. I wasn't expecting Pandora to lose her mind that quickly or completely and for that I'm sorry." Lucinda was gaining her strength back, she sat up and reached up to place her hand gently on his cheek.
He growled. "Next time I see those two…" He sighed. "So...you heard it all?" She nodded. "I see...well, I'm sorry, my dear, but there's nothing left that I can divulge. There is a certain amount of power that names hold. Naming her could have...unforeseen consequences."
"I'm not concerned about what you can't tell me, also don't go after the twins," she sighed, getting up and walking over to the barrier that separated the black lake. "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself, and I'm not running away," she whispered as if almost to herself.
Severus smiled and stood, walking over to her and placing his hands on her shoulders, towering over the small girl. He was nearly a foot taller than her so it really put in perspective how large the wolf was compared to the tiny girl she belonged to. "Darling, I am your friend, mentor, and…" He trailed off. "I'm not going anywhere. You have no need to worry about that. Things may work out differently than either of us expect, but I'm staying beside you...no matter what we become."
She smiled and placed her hand over his. "Pandora was angry, so angry. Not only because you were upset, but because the old fool had the nerve to insinuate that you were grooming me…. Why can't I just have feelings because I have feelings in my heart? Why does there need to be an ulterior motive?" She kept her voice low, almost a whisper.
"I'm afraid that's not how the world works, my dear. Yes, it's normal for younger women and men to fall for their superiors. After spending so much time, it's not irregular for such feelings to occur...but on both ends? True feelings are hard to understand."
Lucinda smiled at his statement and leaned her head back on his chest breathing in his scent so calming that she felt her wolf purr. "She's okay now, I have time before I need to go for a run tonight. I won't have a choice unless we want a repeat in the castle."
Severus coughed, realizing his previous statement, but refused to remark. "I suppose that's fine, but for now I think it's time to get back to your studies. There's still some time before class starts. Yes?"
Lucinda looked up into his eyes and nodded smiling before sitting back down at her desk and started humming a song she had stuck in her head all summer. Her heart poured out into the song and she forgot where she was and who she was with and just let herself feel the words.
Severus stopped what he was doing as she started to sing softly with her melodic voice.
"Bryan Adams...not sure he's my favorite muggle artist, but that's not such a bad song to get stuck in your head," Severus' voice whispered, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Lucinda gasped and turned bright red having got lost in the song she had forgotten he was there. She hid her face behind her hair and sat there waiting for another response.
Severus crossed his arms. "There is no need to hide your face. I think your father would be most interested as to why you know a muggle artist's song." He smirked, looking down at her. "If I remember corre—"
"PLEASE, don't tell my dad! Even I need an escape from all the crazy at the manor so I bought a muggle radio and made it work! I like music and it's been stuck in my head all summer… I'm sorry if it bothered you!" Lucinda was about to start crying, scared her only source of freedom or rebellion was about to be revealed.
Severus breathed in. "Why would it bother me? The…" He smirked. "...Half-Blood Prince?" Lucinda looked up at him and breathed out a shaky laugh. "As I said, he's not my favorite. I much prefer Lucinda in Chains, Put You Down, but whatever works for you." His eyes glittered with mischief.
Lucinda turned even redder, "S-sev I mean you would have to catch me first… But, I meant the song itself...that I was sorry if the words bothered you."
He chuckled. "Don't challenge me, my dear." He rubbed his hands together. "Don't forget that I've known you for many years now. It wouldn't be much of one." He grinned at her flustered reaction. "No, it doesn't bother me, Lucinda." He shook his head and walked over to his trunk, pulling out a Walkman. "I can assure you."
Lucinda grinned. "Why do you have that here?"
"I don't stay at the school every day and night, dear. I believe I would be suffocated by these damn children if I didn't get off the grounds every once and a while." He hid it back in his trunk and stood. "In other news." He looked at his watch and smiled. "You know… for someone who is supposed to be Head Girl, you sure are slacking on your duties, Miss Malfoy." He grinned.
"Wait what? Severus, what time is it?!" Lucinda said in a panic scrambling to her feet.
"Long past time, my dear," He responded, chuckling at her panic. "Take a breath, it's going to be fine."
Lucinda smiled and nodded before packing up. "Thank you, Sev. I have to go see the first years of our house now I'll see you later," she said before standing on her tiptoes and using his shoulders to pull herself up. Leaning in close, she whispered in his ear. "I love you, Sev."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise before watching her flip her hair and walk out of the room. As she left he smiled to himself and turned to prepare for the next class.
She walked the short distance down the hall and whispered the password, shaking her head, smiling to herself and entering the Common Room. The first years watched her enter and clap her hands, gaining their attention. "Good morning, First Years!"
"Good morning, Miss Malfoy," they all said in a sleepy chorus. "All first-years come and meet me over by the fire," she said and sat down in the chair as the only first-years downstairs came over. "You know me. I'm Lucinda Malfoy, Hogwarts Head Girl for the year. I think it's only fair that we get to know each other first." She looked at the only newest addition she didn't know. "How about…you." She pointed at the little boy and nodded.
"My name is Sigurd Ostrem, ma'am." The small, silver-eyed child told her.
"Well, Sigurd you can call me Lucinda, no Ma'am's around me. I'm still a student. Same as you." Lucinda chuckled and counted how many first years they got this year. "I think I know most of you…" She counted their heads, naming them in her head. She was familiar with many of them as they were usually at Balls or Pureblood events, other than Harry, of course. Something they would correct in due time. "Let's see…" She pointed to them as she said their names. "Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Theo, Goyle, Daphne, Blaise and Zuri, Millicent, Harry, and Sigurd." Eleven pups to watch she sighed and shook her head the Manor was going to be full this summer.
"Lucinda, are you ok?" Zuri stepped forward with her unusual gold eyes concerned.
Lucinda chuckled, "Yes, I'm quite well. Now, let's get you guys off to your first class. Any questions before we leave?" She called to them.
Sigurd and Zuri stepped closer to Lucinda and she smiled. "Alright. Draco, would you lead the rest to the correct classes as you know the castle well from visiting me?" Draco nodded and rounded everyone up though Blaise refused and stayed next to his twin.
Lucinda smiled at the two of them. "Do the both of you know where your classes are?" she asked them.
Sigurd shook their head. "Not exactly...I'm a little overwhelmed with the sights and sounds of this place, so I haven't really gotten to know my schedule and everything." Their pale features showed a bit of worry as they spoke.
Lucinda nodded, understanding the hecticness of being a first-year, "Here, let me take you to your first class with Professor McGonagall." She started walking to the portrait. "Follow me." She got out the door before running right into a tall man with even longer blonde hair than hers. She braced herself for impact but he caught her. "Thanks, father."
"That's Lord Malfoy, to you missy." He smirked, giving her a hug before walking towards the potions classroom and knocking on the door before entering.
"Anyway, follow me," She said to the three first years and took them to transfiguration class. "Here you go. Any questions?" She asked, looking at them.
"W-Which book did I need again? I wasn't sure so I grabbed them all…" Zuri and Sigurd said at the same time.
Lucinda bent over ruffling their hair. "It's okay. It's The Beginners Guide to Transfiguration. Now, I must head to my class. I'll see you at lunch. If you need anything else, look for Draco and tell him I sent you. He's my baby brother, " she said as she bolted off to potions class and sat in her usual seat.
Class was long and boring. Severus had already taught her a majority of this the previous summer, so most of the class she was barely able to stay awake. Right as the bell was about to ring, she watched Severus sit in his chair at the front of the room, waiting for them to finish their notes before the bell.
Lucinda licked her lips and grinned, an idea popping into her mind. Looking around, subtly, she grinned and slouched in her chair, slowly parting her legs. Letting her fingers drift down to the hem of her skirt, she pulled it up just barely, knowing they would reveal her white, cotton knickers underneath.
Severus, unsuspectingly, looked out over the class before his eyes locked on the view underneath her desk. All the color flushed out of his face at the sight but couldn't pull away. He was in such a state of shock, he froze, letting the quill drop out of his hand and onto his desk, splattering ink all over the paper.
Lucinda grinned at his reaction, letting his fingers gradually drift down below her hem. His eyes bulged and finally was able to tear his eyes away. Thankfully, the bell rang, signaling class had ended. He launched out of his chair and pulled his cloak around himself quickly. "Do not forget to write a 10 roll essay on Wolfsbane and its properties. Due by the end of the week. Anyone who fails to turn it in will be failed immediately. That is all."
She grinned as everyone hurried to pack and leave the classroom in a timely manner, before Severus swept by her and into his storeroom without speaking a word.
Lucinda giggled softly and followed him into the storeroom. "Sir?" She spoke, softly. "It is not polite to stare at your students knicker in class. Didn't you learn any better growing up?"
He grunted and turned around, grabbing her by the neck and pinning her to the door that had closed behind her. She let out a surprised gasp at the serious yet lustful look in his obsidian irises. "What...do you think you're doing?" He huffed, not releasing her neck.
She growled, slightly, trying to playfully get out of his grasp but grinning the entire time while trying to find the doorknob behind her. He caught her wrist in his other hand and pinned it to the door above her. "Don't think you can escape me after that little stunt you just pulled…" He growled. "What were you thinking?"
A soft moan slipped past her lips. "I was just trying to make things more interesting, sir. You weren't giving me the attention I deserve," she said in an innocent voice.
"Deserve? You think I should give you attention after flashing your knickers to me and anyone else who happened to look your way?" He growled. "I don't know what's going on with you, Miss Malfoy...but that was highly…" He trailed off, staring at her before smirking mischievously. He released her hand and dragged his thumb over her flushed features. "You managed to embarrass me...is that what you wanted...little wolf?"
"No, sir. I just wanted attention from you. I swear," she whimpered.
He made a low, guttural noise in his throat and leaned in. Lucinda closed her eyes and tipped up her chin only to feel his mouth graze the skin on her jaw. "Unfortunately, I need something from you…" He muttered, letting his hand drift from her throat to her wait, pulling her closer. She gasped at the sudden hardness grazing her stomach.
"Sev…"
"Stop…" He let his mouth raise up to her ear, pressing his lips to the skin there. "Being...a brat."
Suddenly, he let her go and pulled back, smirking satisfactorily and opening the door to brush by her back into the classroom. As he did, he heard the all too familiar voice of the woman he considered a mother. "Severus! I must speak with you! I am sick and tired of you stealing my—"
Minerva McGonagall raised her eyes with an amused look as Lucinda walked out of the storage room, completely flushed a bright crimson. Her eyes flickered to Severus and back to Lucinda. "I hope I'm not interrupting your...studies, Miss Malfoy." Lucinda shook her head and ducked her head. "Congratulations, are in order, I suppose." She looked back at Severus who coughed and looked away. "Please, don't hesitate to inform me if he does anything...out of conduct…"
"Not that I would complain." Lucinda quipped back cheerfully.
"Miss Malfoy!" Severus and Minerva both said in unison. The older professor eyed the young man, pursing her lips. "Severus?"
He coughed again and tugged on his collar. "What was that about stealing something?"
Lucinda grins from ear to ear while gathering her stuff. "Well, I'm off to study outside." She walked over to his desk and plucked something up. "If you don't mind, professor, I must return this to their rightful owner." She winked at him before walking out the door and sprinting to find the twins.
Minerva sighed and rubbed her temples. "Severus, need I remind you that you must retain a certain amount of decorum, even if she is now your apprentice. She is still your student." As he was about to speak, she cut him off. "I don't care what you do after she graduates. That's your business. I implore you to use protection, but—"
"MINERVA!" He yelled, cutting her off. "PLEASE!"
"I merely ask that you refrain from any…"
"I didn't fuck her!"
Minerva breathed out a laugh. "I didn't say that you did, Severus." He flushed red and turned away. "Just, please, for the love of Merlin, keep it in your pants."
"What did you wish to speak with me about?"
She hummed, amused by his embarrassment. She sometimes forgot he was only 31. A mere child compared to most of the other staff at Hogwarts. It was so easy to embarrass the man. A little payback for all the foolery he and that woman used to pull on her and the rest of the staff, during their time as students. "Yes, I came to speak with you about Mr. Potter."
He let out a groan and rubbed his face. "Now?"
"Yes, now! He was supposed to be in my house!" She sighed, exasperatedly. "When you left him in our care, I was the one who looked after him! I was the one watching him from a distance to make sure he was safe. I was the one who delivered him to the house in the first place! He was a Gryffindor boy just like his parents!" She huffed, when he eyed her. "I'm sorry...you know what I meant…"
Severus growled. "Like his...what? They took care of him for a year, Minerva! They weren't his parents!"
"You and his mother abandoned him, Severus." She crossed her arms. "I understand your feelings then and I understand them now. You were merely a child. Eleven years ago, you weren't ready and I respected that but Harry was supposed to be in my care."
He scoffed. "I don't know why you think I had anything to do with it. You should be speaking with Mr. Malfoy. I believe he's the one who did such a thing."
Minerva crossed her arms. "Your blood runs in his veins, Severus…"
He let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, I see what this is about. You're not at all angry he's in Slytherin. You want me to tell him."
"The truth? Yes. I think he's owed that, at least!"
"He's a child!"
"And 11 years old! All the more reason to tell him now rather than wait until he'd grown, if that at all! I have heard that his mother has been sighted in England, Severus. If she comes here, then what if she approaches him. What then?"
"She didn't want a child then. Why now?"
"It's been ten years, Severus. I know that woman. She may have become more...twisted...but at her heart, she's still good. Just like her father. The moment she sees him, I'm sure she will—"
He shook his head and crossed his arms. "You want to contact her? Now? After all this time? Why do you even think I would want to see her after what she's done?"
"She's his mother, Severus! He deserves one! He's a child!"
He was quiet for a moment before shaking his head. "I will not indulge this heinous idea and that's that. I have enough on my plate not just with teaching but also with the fact that I now have to train an apprentice. I also have enough with Lucius' jabbering every day. I can't deal with this right now. If she arrives, we'll deal with it then. Until then. I'm not entertaining this laughable notion. She doesn't want to be a mother. She made that very clear. Perhaps one day I may be able to tell him, but let him think his parents were good people. Good, strong people."
"You don't think that for a moment. You know what kind of people they were. What they truly were."
"I said let him believe it," Severus said bitterly. "I'm done talking about this, Minerva. I'm done."
She sighed, frustratedly, and shook her head. "One day, you'll regret this, Severus."
"And today is not that day. Good day."
Minerva sighed and turned to leave. "I hope you know what you're doing. For your own good and Harry's." Without waiting for his response, she left the room, leaving him alone to stew.
"I do too…"
