Title: Forbidden to Feel
Author: Sterlin
Archive: Please do ^_^ Just let me know where so I can check it out, if I haven't already
Rating: PG-13 for language and situations
Spoilers: None as far as I know
Disclaimers: I don't own Severus Snape or Albus Dumbledore, or any other Harry Potter characters or locations. I do however own Cecila - feel free to use her in any fanfictions, just ask my permission first and leave her in character.
Warnings: This story has some adult-ish situations and language. Also, be forewarned - if you review, and flame me without criticizing me (i.e. saying WHY you don't like the story), I will hunt you down and tear your stories to pieces. Just a pleasant warning ^_^
Summary: Severus reads about what Cecila is, and she surprises him yet again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Standing in shock for a moment after Cecila left the classroom, Severus closed his eyes and put his hands to his forehead. His thoughts were flying through his head, and it took a moment to settle them. Before he could do anything, he needed to head to his library - he needed to understand what she was now, and why she was here. His neck ached with a horrid tension that was spreading through his shoulders up towards his skull, and he rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. Hurrying down the hallway he hoped that Cecila wouldn't pop up again out of nowhere. He struggled to keep the emotions that threatened to boil over down, scanning the shelves for a book that would be useful. At length he pulled one out, and flipped through the pages, finally finding the desired one. He started to read, pausing every few sentences to reflect.
Protectress
The position of protectress cannot be taken, nor given, with the exception of blood descendent. A protectress can be any magickal being, but is most often a witch. Many of these are trained in normal schools of witchcraft and wizardry, and are unaware of their powers during these times. At their coming of age (age 20), they gain their powers and are told by the Elders who they are.
Each protectress is initially assigned a simple task, to scale how powerful they are. This task may be as small as protecting a rabbit from being attacked for several days, to something larger, such as protecting a muggle throughout the day. The power each new protectress holds pertains to many different elements, including the power of her parents, the amount of pain she has endured in her young life, and the amount of fire in her heart.
Severus stopped reading for a moment and glanced up, the last sentence running through his head. If she had really been assigned to him, they he assumed she was quiet powerful. Slowly he allowed himself to remember her stay at Hogwarts, and he could see where she had gotten her power. "She always had fire in her heart," he muttered, repressing a small chuckle as he picked up the book again.
A protectress is born immortal.
The sentence caused Severus to stop reading momentarily and stare at the page in shock, raising his eyebrows.
In battles, she cannot be killed, and will heal extraordinarily rapidly if injured. Her physical self will continue to age like a mortal until the age of twenty-five; after that, she can age as slowly as she desires, if at all. This immortality, however, is conditional. The Elders are very critical of each protectress, and have very high standards.
One of the most dangerous things for a protectress to do is fall in love. She is not incapable of love, for a certain amount of love and care is required for her to properly protect each charge. However, falling in love is considered to be a hazard to herself, to her job, and to the elders; it is seen as a weakness, something that will cause her to become bitter towards, and inattentive during her job.
If a protectress falls in love, the Elders will find out - often times, even before the protectress herself is sure. Without a warning, they will take away her immortality and her power. Once this happens, she is expected to fall upon her blade; if she does not, she will be sent for and will suffer the death of a traitor.
While this may sound harsh, it is common occurrence for a protectress. She is told by the elders who she shall marry, and then her job is to produce and raise new blood. If things were not the way they are, there would be far too little protectors and protectress'.
Snape suddenly reached up to his lip, feeling blood trickling down. As he had been reading, he had unknowingly been biting harshly at his lip. Something danced on the edge of his memory, and he quickly wiped away the blood. For some reason he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickling, but he forced himself to read on.
A protectress has many abilities to aid in her job. Along with extremely heightened senses, she has complete use of her astral senses. She is able to pick up on any possibly harmful situations, creatures, or even thoughts towards her charge -
Severus was unable to read anymore. He had the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. Pushing some offending strands of hair out of his eyes, he glanced up and around briefly. Unable to shake the feeling, he stood up to put the book away.
"Interesting read, Severus?" Cecila's voice sounded from above him, and with a start Severus looked up.
"Why, pray tell, are you sitting on top of my book case?" he asked her harshly, and she shrugged in response. Indeed, she was sitting on top of his book case; cross legged, in sweat pants.
"I couldn't sleep," she responded lightly. The angry glint appeared to have disappeared out of her eyes. "By the way," she started as she read his thoughts, "the surplus of 'Forgetfulness' potions you have in your classroom has really served me well." Her words sounded slightly slurred, and he concluded she must have taken the potions recently.
"Did I give you permission to use my potions?" he asked crossly, and she just shrugged.
"Does it seem like I care?" she sighed, rubbing her neck with the back of her hand. Severus raised an eyebrow slightly and tilted his head, staring up at her.
"Now that's the attitude to take when my life is in grave danger," Severus mocked her. Before he could react she was down on the ground in front of him, her flaming green eyes inches away from his.
"I will take whatever attitude I please," she growled, but Severus refused to be intimidated.
"And the Elders allow you to speak to your charges like this?"
"The Elders are not fond of protecting one with the Dark Mark - you are lucky to be an exception," she hissed, and for a second she saw his expression waver before it turned cold again.
"I am lucky? I am lucky to be followed around, spied upon by a former student?" he asked her. Before he had finished, he felt the cold steel on his throat and he swallowed deeply.
"You are lucky that I value my job and my life, or I would take yours for what you did to me," she whispered harshly. Severus blinked and gazed down into her eyes, his head tilted back slightly. Cecila remained still for a moment, before pulling the knife away.
"I did not know I hurt you that badly," Severus said in a low voice, and Cecila snorted harshly.
"You did not know anything," she murmured in reply, the flame in her eyes still there. Severus watched her silently as she turned to leave, the tension between his shoulders stretching towards his neck. He saw Cecila pause in her step, frowning. "Damn you," she swore as she turned back around.
"Excuse me?" Severus raised an eyebrow as Cecila approached him again.
"Sit down," she commanded strongly.
"I most certainly will not," Severus replied, and Cecila sighed. With a frown, she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed down sharply. To his surprise, Severus' knees buckled beneath the sudden pressure and he collapsed into the chair.
"Be glad I didn't break your knees instead," Cecila glared at him, walking behind him.
"What are you doing?" Severus asked, trying to keep the note of alarm out of his voice.
"The tension in your back causes you pain," Cecila explained. "I feel all of your pain, and I would like to be able to rest sound tonight thank you very much."
"Then I suppose I shouldn't be frightened by your threats of broken bones."
"Oh no, you should. Sudden pain like that will ease itself rather quickly in my body," she crooned into his ear. Severus jumped as she suddenly placed her hands onto his shoulders, under his robes, and the tension increased. "Oh, for the love of Merlin, Severus," she snapped.
"I apologize if your touch makes me uncomfortable."
"Is my touch different than most?"
Severus fell silent as her hands began to knead the muscles. Cecila felt the pain flowing from his back and through her fingers. Trying to ground it, she flared her nostrils at the effort. "You have an extreme amount of pain, Severus," she said quietly, feeling the stinging on her own left forearm.
"You sound surprised," he replied, and she was alarmed to hear the flatness in his voice. "So, why would the pain ease quicker in your body?" Severus inquired, and Cecila cleared her throat at the change of subject.
"Had you continued to read, you would've learned how my wounds and pain heals and disappears moments after it's received. This - this pain in your back would've followed me, because it is so constant," Cecila finished quietly, her fingers working out a knot.
"So you feel - all of my pain?"
"I've managed to successfully block out a large amount," she murmured. "Even I would not be able to function with that amount of pain," Severus could hear the slight note of respect in her voice. "You'd be dead by now if I tried," Cecila finished, and he rolled his eyes.
"How incredibly comforting," he responded, blinking as Cecila pulled her fingers away from his shoulders. His skin suddenly felt icy cold, deprived of the warmth of her touch.
"Try now," Cecila suggested as she stood up, and Severus raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Move your shoulders," Cecila snapped, biting off a harsh name at the end of the sentence. Severus narrowed his eyes at her but tried rotating his shoulder blades. To his surprise, the pain and tension that he had felt there for the past few hours had completely disappeared.
"It's gone," he commented as he glanced up. Not seeing Cecila, he looked around and caught a glimpse of her disappearing out the door. Setting his expression, he closed his eyes and leaned against the chair, settling into a deep sleep.
Author: Sterlin
Archive: Please do ^_^ Just let me know where so I can check it out, if I haven't already
Rating: PG-13 for language and situations
Spoilers: None as far as I know
Disclaimers: I don't own Severus Snape or Albus Dumbledore, or any other Harry Potter characters or locations. I do however own Cecila - feel free to use her in any fanfictions, just ask my permission first and leave her in character.
Warnings: This story has some adult-ish situations and language. Also, be forewarned - if you review, and flame me without criticizing me (i.e. saying WHY you don't like the story), I will hunt you down and tear your stories to pieces. Just a pleasant warning ^_^
Summary: Severus reads about what Cecila is, and she surprises him yet again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Standing in shock for a moment after Cecila left the classroom, Severus closed his eyes and put his hands to his forehead. His thoughts were flying through his head, and it took a moment to settle them. Before he could do anything, he needed to head to his library - he needed to understand what she was now, and why she was here. His neck ached with a horrid tension that was spreading through his shoulders up towards his skull, and he rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. Hurrying down the hallway he hoped that Cecila wouldn't pop up again out of nowhere. He struggled to keep the emotions that threatened to boil over down, scanning the shelves for a book that would be useful. At length he pulled one out, and flipped through the pages, finally finding the desired one. He started to read, pausing every few sentences to reflect.
Protectress
The position of protectress cannot be taken, nor given, with the exception of blood descendent. A protectress can be any magickal being, but is most often a witch. Many of these are trained in normal schools of witchcraft and wizardry, and are unaware of their powers during these times. At their coming of age (age 20), they gain their powers and are told by the Elders who they are.
Each protectress is initially assigned a simple task, to scale how powerful they are. This task may be as small as protecting a rabbit from being attacked for several days, to something larger, such as protecting a muggle throughout the day. The power each new protectress holds pertains to many different elements, including the power of her parents, the amount of pain she has endured in her young life, and the amount of fire in her heart.
Severus stopped reading for a moment and glanced up, the last sentence running through his head. If she had really been assigned to him, they he assumed she was quiet powerful. Slowly he allowed himself to remember her stay at Hogwarts, and he could see where she had gotten her power. "She always had fire in her heart," he muttered, repressing a small chuckle as he picked up the book again.
A protectress is born immortal.
The sentence caused Severus to stop reading momentarily and stare at the page in shock, raising his eyebrows.
In battles, she cannot be killed, and will heal extraordinarily rapidly if injured. Her physical self will continue to age like a mortal until the age of twenty-five; after that, she can age as slowly as she desires, if at all. This immortality, however, is conditional. The Elders are very critical of each protectress, and have very high standards.
One of the most dangerous things for a protectress to do is fall in love. She is not incapable of love, for a certain amount of love and care is required for her to properly protect each charge. However, falling in love is considered to be a hazard to herself, to her job, and to the elders; it is seen as a weakness, something that will cause her to become bitter towards, and inattentive during her job.
If a protectress falls in love, the Elders will find out - often times, even before the protectress herself is sure. Without a warning, they will take away her immortality and her power. Once this happens, she is expected to fall upon her blade; if she does not, she will be sent for and will suffer the death of a traitor.
While this may sound harsh, it is common occurrence for a protectress. She is told by the elders who she shall marry, and then her job is to produce and raise new blood. If things were not the way they are, there would be far too little protectors and protectress'.
Snape suddenly reached up to his lip, feeling blood trickling down. As he had been reading, he had unknowingly been biting harshly at his lip. Something danced on the edge of his memory, and he quickly wiped away the blood. For some reason he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickling, but he forced himself to read on.
A protectress has many abilities to aid in her job. Along with extremely heightened senses, she has complete use of her astral senses. She is able to pick up on any possibly harmful situations, creatures, or even thoughts towards her charge -
Severus was unable to read anymore. He had the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. Pushing some offending strands of hair out of his eyes, he glanced up and around briefly. Unable to shake the feeling, he stood up to put the book away.
"Interesting read, Severus?" Cecila's voice sounded from above him, and with a start Severus looked up.
"Why, pray tell, are you sitting on top of my book case?" he asked her harshly, and she shrugged in response. Indeed, she was sitting on top of his book case; cross legged, in sweat pants.
"I couldn't sleep," she responded lightly. The angry glint appeared to have disappeared out of her eyes. "By the way," she started as she read his thoughts, "the surplus of 'Forgetfulness' potions you have in your classroom has really served me well." Her words sounded slightly slurred, and he concluded she must have taken the potions recently.
"Did I give you permission to use my potions?" he asked crossly, and she just shrugged.
"Does it seem like I care?" she sighed, rubbing her neck with the back of her hand. Severus raised an eyebrow slightly and tilted his head, staring up at her.
"Now that's the attitude to take when my life is in grave danger," Severus mocked her. Before he could react she was down on the ground in front of him, her flaming green eyes inches away from his.
"I will take whatever attitude I please," she growled, but Severus refused to be intimidated.
"And the Elders allow you to speak to your charges like this?"
"The Elders are not fond of protecting one with the Dark Mark - you are lucky to be an exception," she hissed, and for a second she saw his expression waver before it turned cold again.
"I am lucky? I am lucky to be followed around, spied upon by a former student?" he asked her. Before he had finished, he felt the cold steel on his throat and he swallowed deeply.
"You are lucky that I value my job and my life, or I would take yours for what you did to me," she whispered harshly. Severus blinked and gazed down into her eyes, his head tilted back slightly. Cecila remained still for a moment, before pulling the knife away.
"I did not know I hurt you that badly," Severus said in a low voice, and Cecila snorted harshly.
"You did not know anything," she murmured in reply, the flame in her eyes still there. Severus watched her silently as she turned to leave, the tension between his shoulders stretching towards his neck. He saw Cecila pause in her step, frowning. "Damn you," she swore as she turned back around.
"Excuse me?" Severus raised an eyebrow as Cecila approached him again.
"Sit down," she commanded strongly.
"I most certainly will not," Severus replied, and Cecila sighed. With a frown, she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed down sharply. To his surprise, Severus' knees buckled beneath the sudden pressure and he collapsed into the chair.
"Be glad I didn't break your knees instead," Cecila glared at him, walking behind him.
"What are you doing?" Severus asked, trying to keep the note of alarm out of his voice.
"The tension in your back causes you pain," Cecila explained. "I feel all of your pain, and I would like to be able to rest sound tonight thank you very much."
"Then I suppose I shouldn't be frightened by your threats of broken bones."
"Oh no, you should. Sudden pain like that will ease itself rather quickly in my body," she crooned into his ear. Severus jumped as she suddenly placed her hands onto his shoulders, under his robes, and the tension increased. "Oh, for the love of Merlin, Severus," she snapped.
"I apologize if your touch makes me uncomfortable."
"Is my touch different than most?"
Severus fell silent as her hands began to knead the muscles. Cecila felt the pain flowing from his back and through her fingers. Trying to ground it, she flared her nostrils at the effort. "You have an extreme amount of pain, Severus," she said quietly, feeling the stinging on her own left forearm.
"You sound surprised," he replied, and she was alarmed to hear the flatness in his voice. "So, why would the pain ease quicker in your body?" Severus inquired, and Cecila cleared her throat at the change of subject.
"Had you continued to read, you would've learned how my wounds and pain heals and disappears moments after it's received. This - this pain in your back would've followed me, because it is so constant," Cecila finished quietly, her fingers working out a knot.
"So you feel - all of my pain?"
"I've managed to successfully block out a large amount," she murmured. "Even I would not be able to function with that amount of pain," Severus could hear the slight note of respect in her voice. "You'd be dead by now if I tried," Cecila finished, and he rolled his eyes.
"How incredibly comforting," he responded, blinking as Cecila pulled her fingers away from his shoulders. His skin suddenly felt icy cold, deprived of the warmth of her touch.
"Try now," Cecila suggested as she stood up, and Severus raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Move your shoulders," Cecila snapped, biting off a harsh name at the end of the sentence. Severus narrowed his eyes at her but tried rotating his shoulder blades. To his surprise, the pain and tension that he had felt there for the past few hours had completely disappeared.
"It's gone," he commented as he glanced up. Not seeing Cecila, he looked around and caught a glimpse of her disappearing out the door. Setting his expression, he closed his eyes and leaned against the chair, settling into a deep sleep.