Disclaimer:
All things not Allosia, Gabriel or the idiot Slytherins causing the current drama belong to JKR. Of course, without her, I couldn't make up any of these wonderful people, so she kinda has dibs on them too.
For those of you who have not yet discovered Ghosts, omitted scenes, please check my story listing on Fanfiction.net – I have FINALLY written the first time Allosia and Snape have sex. So go read that and just let me quietly be embarrassed and hang out over here and work on this plot stuff for a while.
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"I need to put him down to sleep, we can continue this discussion if you'd like, but it will have to be in my quarters," she said.
Petri quieted, thought about this for a moment, and agreed. Allosia was almost certain it was as much from curiosity about her professors as anything else. She could live with that, it might even be useful.
"Here we are," Allosia said, swinging the door open. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll be with you in a moment," she said indicating one of the chairs in front of the hearth, as she took Gabriel around the corner to the alcove that now housed his bed. She and Snape were using her old rooms, as their private space now.
Through the wall, Petri could faintly hear Allosia singing to the boy, and then telling him she'd be in to check on him soon.
Allosia returned to the sitting room, and sighed as she settled into the other chair. Petri smiled at her awkwardly then, and Allosia replied to the unasked question, "Yes, I've had an incredibly long day."
"Please don't take offense, Professor –"
"But?"
"I'd have to imagine every day, with both a child and Professor Snape would be very long."
Allosia smiled. "No offense taken. Thank you for having the sense to see that."
"Is he – " Petri stopped herself.
"Any different outside of the classroom?"
She nodded.
"We knew each other as students, Julia, so there's a lot of life in us from when our worlds were very different. If I were to say more to you than that, regardless of the answer, it would be too much information."
Petri nodded, but made a quizzical face.
"Yes, I am being intentionally vague. Now, shall we return to discussing your situation?"
"Of course, Professor."
"You were about tell me what you wanted to do in an ideal world."
"I don't want to be just another Slytherin wife, I'll tell you that much," she said, disgust in her voice.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning Julien and Howard seem to think fighting over me is somehow relevant to the situation."
"Severus has given me the impression that that may be out of some embarrassment they are suffering due to the public nature of the situation."
"It's only public because they were rolling around on the floor wrestling with each other."
Allosia raised and eyebrow.
"I know, I thought it was rather obvious too."
"Alright, so you don't want to marry either of them. Do you want to have a baby right now?"
"I don't not want to have this child, but do I want to have it right now, gods no!"
"You are aware you have a myriad of options in that regard, yes."
"Yes, all completely awful!"
"Let's hear your reasoning, it may help."
Petri took her through it then. Having the child would disrupt all her plans and consign her to being of little interest in the world of high- society Slytherins for anything other than her genetics. Having an abortion would be unpleasant, emotionally draining and create another set of problems with the boys. Putting the child on hold, while an option would force her to make legally binding decisions about her life five or ten years down the line, and she hadn't the faintest idea who she'd be then. Going to the trouble of having the baby and placing it with another family seemed particularly punishing. Quite simply, short of misappropriating a time tuner all of the answers were bad.
Snape gave Lucius a predatory smile as he slowly extended his wand towards the man. Lucius, unarmed, did his bad to stay still and not break the gaze he had locked on his former classmate's eyes.
The smile broadened then, as Snape's arm reached it's full extension and he slowly lowered it bringing his want to point at the floor a foot in front of where Lucius stood. He loved the feel of the energy in the room, as everyone held their breath, the exceptions being Lucius who was trying to keep his steady, Voldemort, who never seemed to breathe anyway, and Snape himself who seemed as relaxed as most ever saw him.
When Lucius didn't take his meaning, Snape glanced away from him for a moment, quirking his mouth for the audience before returning his attention to the blond man. A slight flick of his wrist and an inquiringly raised eyebrow, and Lucius kneeled in the spot he indicated. Yes, so much better to just cooperate. Unconsciously, Snape flicked his tongue over his lower lip. Lucius finally decided to stop looking at him.
Allosia sighed. "May I ask you something, only partially relevant to this situation? You may refuse to answer if you wish."
"Go ahead."
"Can you tell me why it is that all Slytherins seem to despise their House or at least, what all their contemporaries do with being a member of said House?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I've yet to meet one of you who isn't hell bent on being the exception to whatever they have decided the rules of being Slytherin are. And most seem quite miserable about it."
Petri absorbed this, and nodded, understanding, she thought, the root of the question. "Rank is all, Professor Hemrand. If you are not first, your best bet is to place yourself outside of the system, don't you think?"
Allosia nodded. The girl would give her no deeper insight than this.
"What will it be Lucius? Hrmmm? What type of punishment do you think you deserve?"
Lucius, predictably didn't say a word.
"I really don't know what you were thinking either. Putting our objectives at risk, putting yourself, your son and the young Mister Crabbe at risk. Putting me at risk, all because you felt like taking some ridiculous school days grudge against me out on my wife. What were you thinking, Lucius?"
"You show a distinct lack of respect, Severus for the way things should be done."
"Do I? Or do I do what needs to be done in a very challenging situation? I think it is you who shows a lack of respect. Harming a potential informant who will do whatever I say, putting me and my line in jeopardy, creating distractions none of us need from our work. I think you need some instruction on the subject of respect, Lucius," he said, saying the name insinuatingly. "Fortunately for you, I don't really have the time or inclination."
After a long silence, Petri interrupted Allosia's musings on her husband's wellbeing. "I think, I am starting to focus in on a decision."
"I'm most pleased to hear that. Is there anything about it you would like to discuss with me further?"
"I don't think so."
"Alright. I know that Severus has little interest in this matter going beyond Slytherin House, so I would suggest that when your decision is reached and the boys informed you let Professor Snape know the ramifications of it. If it can be helped, I think we would both prefer not to know any details that do not directly affect life here. I will add though that I know, that if you need to discuss this in any detail, he will be there for you in his way. Just don't expect him to be happy about it."
Patri gave a half-hearted smile at this. "It's alright, Professor. Slytherins are used to keeping quiet," she said, standing to go. "Thank you for talking to me."
Snape paced slowly around the still kneeling Lucius in a tight circle, wand trained on him the entire time. He sensed his audience getting impatient, but he also understood this was only because he was unnerving them. Generally, he spoke as little as he could at these gatherings, and disappeared with his instructions and injuries at the earliest possible opportunity. This level of sensual wrath and pride from him was not a version one could comfortably prefer.
Snape whispered the Cruciatus curse. Lucius writhed, then screamed and fell onto his stomach. Clawing at the floor Snape stepped out of the way in disgust as the man grabbed at the hem of his robes, presumably to beg. With disinterest, Snape ended the spell and smiled again.
"Imperius!" he said coolly, noting how Lucius' body stiffened and relaxed, eyes becoming unfocused. "Sit up, man, have some dignity," and Lucius climbed back to his knees.
"Very good," Snape continued, a cat playing with a seemingly immortal wounded mouse. "Now, ask me to perform Crucio on you."
All things not Allosia, Gabriel or the idiot Slytherins causing the current drama belong to JKR. Of course, without her, I couldn't make up any of these wonderful people, so she kinda has dibs on them too.
For those of you who have not yet discovered Ghosts, omitted scenes, please check my story listing on Fanfiction.net – I have FINALLY written the first time Allosia and Snape have sex. So go read that and just let me quietly be embarrassed and hang out over here and work on this plot stuff for a while.
----------
"I need to put him down to sleep, we can continue this discussion if you'd like, but it will have to be in my quarters," she said.
Petri quieted, thought about this for a moment, and agreed. Allosia was almost certain it was as much from curiosity about her professors as anything else. She could live with that, it might even be useful.
"Here we are," Allosia said, swinging the door open. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll be with you in a moment," she said indicating one of the chairs in front of the hearth, as she took Gabriel around the corner to the alcove that now housed his bed. She and Snape were using her old rooms, as their private space now.
Through the wall, Petri could faintly hear Allosia singing to the boy, and then telling him she'd be in to check on him soon.
Allosia returned to the sitting room, and sighed as she settled into the other chair. Petri smiled at her awkwardly then, and Allosia replied to the unasked question, "Yes, I've had an incredibly long day."
"Please don't take offense, Professor –"
"But?"
"I'd have to imagine every day, with both a child and Professor Snape would be very long."
Allosia smiled. "No offense taken. Thank you for having the sense to see that."
"Is he – " Petri stopped herself.
"Any different outside of the classroom?"
She nodded.
"We knew each other as students, Julia, so there's a lot of life in us from when our worlds were very different. If I were to say more to you than that, regardless of the answer, it would be too much information."
Petri nodded, but made a quizzical face.
"Yes, I am being intentionally vague. Now, shall we return to discussing your situation?"
"Of course, Professor."
"You were about tell me what you wanted to do in an ideal world."
"I don't want to be just another Slytherin wife, I'll tell you that much," she said, disgust in her voice.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning Julien and Howard seem to think fighting over me is somehow relevant to the situation."
"Severus has given me the impression that that may be out of some embarrassment they are suffering due to the public nature of the situation."
"It's only public because they were rolling around on the floor wrestling with each other."
Allosia raised and eyebrow.
"I know, I thought it was rather obvious too."
"Alright, so you don't want to marry either of them. Do you want to have a baby right now?"
"I don't not want to have this child, but do I want to have it right now, gods no!"
"You are aware you have a myriad of options in that regard, yes."
"Yes, all completely awful!"
"Let's hear your reasoning, it may help."
Petri took her through it then. Having the child would disrupt all her plans and consign her to being of little interest in the world of high- society Slytherins for anything other than her genetics. Having an abortion would be unpleasant, emotionally draining and create another set of problems with the boys. Putting the child on hold, while an option would force her to make legally binding decisions about her life five or ten years down the line, and she hadn't the faintest idea who she'd be then. Going to the trouble of having the baby and placing it with another family seemed particularly punishing. Quite simply, short of misappropriating a time tuner all of the answers were bad.
Snape gave Lucius a predatory smile as he slowly extended his wand towards the man. Lucius, unarmed, did his bad to stay still and not break the gaze he had locked on his former classmate's eyes.
The smile broadened then, as Snape's arm reached it's full extension and he slowly lowered it bringing his want to point at the floor a foot in front of where Lucius stood. He loved the feel of the energy in the room, as everyone held their breath, the exceptions being Lucius who was trying to keep his steady, Voldemort, who never seemed to breathe anyway, and Snape himself who seemed as relaxed as most ever saw him.
When Lucius didn't take his meaning, Snape glanced away from him for a moment, quirking his mouth for the audience before returning his attention to the blond man. A slight flick of his wrist and an inquiringly raised eyebrow, and Lucius kneeled in the spot he indicated. Yes, so much better to just cooperate. Unconsciously, Snape flicked his tongue over his lower lip. Lucius finally decided to stop looking at him.
Allosia sighed. "May I ask you something, only partially relevant to this situation? You may refuse to answer if you wish."
"Go ahead."
"Can you tell me why it is that all Slytherins seem to despise their House or at least, what all their contemporaries do with being a member of said House?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I've yet to meet one of you who isn't hell bent on being the exception to whatever they have decided the rules of being Slytherin are. And most seem quite miserable about it."
Petri absorbed this, and nodded, understanding, she thought, the root of the question. "Rank is all, Professor Hemrand. If you are not first, your best bet is to place yourself outside of the system, don't you think?"
Allosia nodded. The girl would give her no deeper insight than this.
"What will it be Lucius? Hrmmm? What type of punishment do you think you deserve?"
Lucius, predictably didn't say a word.
"I really don't know what you were thinking either. Putting our objectives at risk, putting yourself, your son and the young Mister Crabbe at risk. Putting me at risk, all because you felt like taking some ridiculous school days grudge against me out on my wife. What were you thinking, Lucius?"
"You show a distinct lack of respect, Severus for the way things should be done."
"Do I? Or do I do what needs to be done in a very challenging situation? I think it is you who shows a lack of respect. Harming a potential informant who will do whatever I say, putting me and my line in jeopardy, creating distractions none of us need from our work. I think you need some instruction on the subject of respect, Lucius," he said, saying the name insinuatingly. "Fortunately for you, I don't really have the time or inclination."
After a long silence, Petri interrupted Allosia's musings on her husband's wellbeing. "I think, I am starting to focus in on a decision."
"I'm most pleased to hear that. Is there anything about it you would like to discuss with me further?"
"I don't think so."
"Alright. I know that Severus has little interest in this matter going beyond Slytherin House, so I would suggest that when your decision is reached and the boys informed you let Professor Snape know the ramifications of it. If it can be helped, I think we would both prefer not to know any details that do not directly affect life here. I will add though that I know, that if you need to discuss this in any detail, he will be there for you in his way. Just don't expect him to be happy about it."
Patri gave a half-hearted smile at this. "It's alright, Professor. Slytherins are used to keeping quiet," she said, standing to go. "Thank you for talking to me."
Snape paced slowly around the still kneeling Lucius in a tight circle, wand trained on him the entire time. He sensed his audience getting impatient, but he also understood this was only because he was unnerving them. Generally, he spoke as little as he could at these gatherings, and disappeared with his instructions and injuries at the earliest possible opportunity. This level of sensual wrath and pride from him was not a version one could comfortably prefer.
Snape whispered the Cruciatus curse. Lucius writhed, then screamed and fell onto his stomach. Clawing at the floor Snape stepped out of the way in disgust as the man grabbed at the hem of his robes, presumably to beg. With disinterest, Snape ended the spell and smiled again.
"Imperius!" he said coolly, noting how Lucius' body stiffened and relaxed, eyes becoming unfocused. "Sit up, man, have some dignity," and Lucius climbed back to his knees.
"Very good," Snape continued, a cat playing with a seemingly immortal wounded mouse. "Now, ask me to perform Crucio on you."