Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and the OCs. Everything else belongs to JKR and the legal licensees of Harry Potter material.

Contract Binding: Chapter One

By RowanRhys

Professor Severus Snape
The Great Hall
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The letter that had been dropped in front of his plate of cold toast and marmalade had the stuffy look of "official business" and Snape decided warily to open it in the privacy of his office. He wouldn't have bothered coming up to the Great Hall to eat if it had not been his turn to monitor the students who were rowdily beginning their day by denuding the magically-filled platters on the four House tables. He tucked the thick envelope into one of his robe pockets after examining the dark blue wax seal. It wasn't from anyone he recognized, having a quill crossing a handmill surrounded by entwined ivy strands as the device. He glared out over the hall, muting the morning hijinks when his dark gaze lowered upon some luckless student. Perhaps that was why the Great Hall cleared out faster than usual before the first class warning bell, allowing him to stalk back to his private office off of the Potions Classroom, his robes billowing about him like dark wings, with plenty of time to investigate the mysterious missive before his first class of the day.

* * * * *

Miss Marian Carlyle-Tintagel
The Office at
The Unicorn Preserve
The Forest of Dean
Wales

"Marian! An owl just arrived for you!" Marian paused in replaiting her brown hair, turning away from the mirror mounted on the inside of the supply closet door to look at her perky nineteen-year-old assistant. "Who from?"

"I don't know, I don't recognize the seal. Looks official, sort of. Pretty heavy too."

"Put it on the desk, Alyce, I'll open it later. Snowmane pulled my ribbon off when I was checking his shoulder this morning. I think he's more than ready to go back into the forest."

"Marian, you know he's only sticking around because he likes you. The rest of us, he could care less about, although he tolerates us." Alyce wrinkled her nose and bounced toward the outer office. "Anyway, I need to check on those twin foals again. I don't know what's going on with the smaller one. She's not gaining strength like she should. Silverhoof is worried about them."

Marian fastened an elastic band around the end of the plait and tossed it over her shoulder. "I'll come with you. I wish I knew what was attacking them. That's five unicorns with gashes in their necks or shoulders in the last month!"

She pulled on her jacket, checking to make sure that her wand was secure in the pocket and headed out into the autumn morning with Alyce.

The girl glanced at her as they shuffled through the fallen leaves that carpeted the lawn between the Admin building and the nursery paddock, some of the damper ones sticking to their wellies. "Aren't you curious about that letter? What if it's approval of that Grant we asked for to expand the preserve? Or maybe you inherited a fortune from some long lost uncle somewhere?"

"Or maybe it's a dunning notice because we forgot to pay someone or other when we did the bills last month," Marian answered lightly. "I'll look at it later. These babies are more important. I wish I knew what could have attacked them. They look almost like someone took a knife to them, but how could that happen here? They wouldn't let just anyone get so close."

"Marcus said there were some Welsh Green dragons sighted about ten miles west of here. Could one of them have done it?"

"A dragon wouldn't have stopped with one gash. This looks nothing like a claw mark." Marian shook her head. "I'm going to call around and see if I can get any ideas. I don't want to lose any more of our lovelies."

They'd reached the fence and Marian easily boosted herself up onto the top rail and waited for the delicately beautiful, half-grown unicorns to notice her and Alyce. It didn't take long for the larger of the two. His ears perked up and he pranced over, lifting his chin to rub against Marian's knee. "Hello handsome," she told him, gently running her hand down his neck. "How are you feeling today, Sundrop?" Her fingers skimmed the rough spot on his near side, where his neck and withers met, the remains of the gash that puzzled the Reserve staff. He nickered and then turned his attention to Alyce, but the nineteen-year-old was staring, horrified at the other occupant of the paddock.

Marian looked to follow her gaze and gasped. The female foal, standing with drooping head, suddenly wavered and collapsed. "Moonbeam!"

By the time the two women got to the unicorn, scrambling down from the fence and running across the enclosure, the beast had stopped breathing and the iridescent gleam of her coat and horn had already begun to fade.

"Noooo!" Alyce threw herself across the filly's neck, sobbing. Sundrop, who had followed them, dropped his nose to nuzzle his sister. He seemed puzzled when she didn't move in response to his touch, then, he raised his head and let loose a keening neigh that was echoed by Snowmane, Silverhoof and the other injured mare, Silktail. Then more echoes sounded from the forest beyond the infirmary paddocks and shelters, as Moonbeam's kin joined in the mourning.

* * * * *

Alone in his office before classes started, Severus stared at the contents of the letter in disbelief. This was impossible!

Dear Professor Snape,

It is my duty to inform you of the death of Lord Andrew Carlyle-Fairleighweather, and that you are co-heir to his estate. Due to the complexity of the will and the entailment of the estate, there are several conditions contingent upon your receiving the inheritance. Please read the enclosed documents, and owl me back as soon as possible so that we may meet to expedite the settlement of the estate.

Yours respectfully,

Slyvestris Markham-Peters
of Markham-Peters, Roberson and
Deluge, General Solicitors

The enclosures listed a brief inventory of the estate that belonged to his--he supposed the old man had been a cousin, as their joint ancestor had been two generations back from Lord Andrew--who he vaguely remembered meeting once during his childhood. The wizard had been old even then, and seemed a cantankerous figure who demanded his own way, regardless of other's desires. Severus raised an eyebrow, stunned at the total estimated valuation. His share of the estate would put him on a par with the Malfoys when it came to galleons. Assuming he actually survived to retire from teaching, he could set up his own Potions research lab with no trouble at all. He glanced at the calendar. It was still fairly early in the term. Surely the Headmaster would give him leave to go to Diagon Alley to see this Mr. Markham-Peters within the next few days.

He could hear the Hufflepuff Third Years arriving beyond the door leading to the classroom. Severus hurriedly folded the parchments and stuffed them back into the envelope.Then, tucking them into his robe pocket, he drew himself to his full height, took a deep breath and, with an unusual effort, drew on his typical mien to greet the nervous youngsters. He'd talk to Albus at lunchtime. He just hoped that in the meantime he could hide his shock from the students.

* * * * *

It was after sunset when Marian made it back to her office after reassuring her distraught assistant and dealing appropriately with the dead unicorn filly. Sitting down behind her desk, she noticed the letter that had arrived that morning. Still saddened by the loss of the baby unicorn, she apathetically drew the envelope to her and touched the seal she didn't recognize.

It must have been charmed to her identity because the envelope suddenly opened and several thick sheets of parchment popped out. She blinked at the letterhead. What would a solicitor want with her?

Dear Miss Carlyle-Tintagel,

It is my duty to inform you of the death of your paternal Grandfather, Lord Andrew Carlyle-Fairleighweather, and that you are co-heir to his estate. Due to the complexity of the will and the entailment of the estate, there are several conditions contingent upon your receiving the inheritance. Please read the enclosed documents, and owl me back as soon as possible so that we may meet to expedite the settlement of the estate.

Yours respectfully,

Slyvestris Markham-Peters
of Markham-Peters, Roberson and
Deluge, General Solicitors

"Alyce was right, it was an inheritance." She shook her head and sighed. "So the old man's finally gone. Maybe now I can enjoy my chosen career in peace without him pestering me about my duty to the family name!" She riffled through the enclosures briefly then stared in shock at the amount at which the estate had been valued. "Merlin's Beard! The interest alone is more than enough to fund this Reserve for a decade! I'll Owl them now and let them know that I'll Floo down to Diagon Alley in the morning."

An owl was waiting impatiently at the window of Marian's bedroom when she awoke the next morning. When she removed the missive from its leg and handed it an Owl Treat from the dish she kept handy for the visiting fowls, she found it to be an answer to her note to Mr. Markham-Peters. He suggested an appointment at 12:30 in the afternoon, giving her plenty of time to get to Diagon Alley after dealing with the morning routine.