Chapter Eleven
Consuela, now properly clad in a heavy black cloak that seemed to match the current emotion in the air at Hogwarts, ran towards her destination. As she ran, a horrible weight came over her. She ran faster, to get there as soon as she could, so she could find out what was happening, but the look on Snape's face had already told her that something was wrong, something was very, very wrong.
She reached her destination, and at first apprehensively, then with a jolt of courage she burst through the door to the Room of Requirement. She was expecting to see a room filled with people and instead it was completely deserted. She gazed around the room and thought about how different the room looked, since her night there with Severus. Her thoughts raced as she tried to figure out where the meeting could possibly be and she finally ended up deciding to try Dumbledore's office.
She walked up the spiral staircase, past the Gargoyle statue and knocked on the door as if not expecting a reply. To her surprise, the door opened and just as she thought her luck had finally starting, her eyes widened as she stared at the most beat down and depressed beings she had ever seen. Her vibrant blue eyes moved to glance at Snape, though he was not looking at her.
"Professor Gracewell, please take a seat," Dumbledore said, in a broken voice as a chair was pulled out magically from the table. Consuela sat down obediently and lowered her eyes to the floor. She waited in patience for the meeting to continue.
"Professor Gracewell, as I'm sure you know by now, I have some rather discouraging news. One of our members is being sent under cover in a most dangerous mission. His life is most certainly at stake and there are more lives than just his on the line." Dumbledore stopped speaking abruptly.
"Well, who -" She stopped short, with one look at Snape, she knew exactly who. Of course it would be him! Who else would they be able to send on a mission like this? He is the only one trusted enough by Voldemort and the Death Eaters. "But what is the mission? Why are so many lives at stake?"
Dumbledore looked even more crushed at her newest inquiries. "He has in his possession, an item of great power. It is an orb. This orb has to power to do great things. In the right hands it could cure thousands of horrible afflictions and purify most anything. In the wrong hands however, matters change. Professor Gracewell, can you tell me the one thing that Voldemort is set on, discluding Harry Potter?" He paused, not seeing any response, since Consuela was too stunned to say anything, he continued himself, "Muggles and Muggleborns. He can target them with this orb and destroy them. He could even target any wizard if he wished, me, Mr. Potter or any other that he would want to see put out of his way. This orb was thought to be a myth for centuries. Even I admit that I thought it could never possibly exist. In an ancient manuscript, it is called Valescere. It was said to be kept in Madrid, a city in the center of Spain. I went in search of it at one point, many years ago with my dear friend, Nicholas Flamel. We followed all of the instructions the manuscript had provided in finding it. Finally, after searching for weeks, we discovered a forgotten tomb. This tomb was buried and so we ventured far under ground. We found the orb that day, we found Valescere. We both decided that one day, when Voldemort was destroyed we could use it for our side. Neither of us wanted to destroy something with such extraordinary power for good. It was in a safe place and Voldemort knew nothing of it. I now apologize for my foolishness. If I had apprehended it, none of this would have happened. The mission is for Severus to apprehend the orb and destroy it. Voldemort and his most trusted Death Eaters are meeting atop Mt. Elbrus in Caucasus, Russia. The mountain is a dormant volcano, and Voldemort intends to use the volcano's power to fuel the orb. He must be stopped or the world is doomed." Dumbledore sank into his chair behind his desk and lowered his head into hands, beginning to weep.
Consuela could not believe what she was hearing. Because of him the man she loved was most likely to be killed! Because of him the fate of the world was hanging by a thin thread that was in Voldemort's hand. She began to become more enraged and shouted, "how could you do this to us? How could you put someone in this position? What happens if he fails? Do realize what's at stake because of you?! There has to be another way! There HAS to be a better solution!! How could you send the man I love to his execution?"
Without even noticing what she had revealed, she went into hysterics and finally collapsed to the ground in a fit of emotional exhaustion and stress. Snape carried her to her room with reassurances from Dumbledore that she would be all right. He didn't want her to wake up with the embarrassment she would surely feel in front of everyone. Snape apologized on her behalf before leaving and then hurried off as fast as he could. He thought bitterly of what she had said and how she had reacted. She was right; they didn't even know exactly how the orb worked. How much hope could there possibly be?
Then his mind wandered to the last thing that she had shouted, but he tried to block it from thought and convince himself that she was hysterical and didn't mean it. Still, no matter how he tried it still managed to budge through to the surface. She loves you. Why does she love me? I don't deserve her love. I never should have let anything happen between us. I knew all I would cause her is grief, pain and suffering, he thought quietly to himself.
He reached her room and burst through the door hastily. He carefully laid her upon her bed, admired her beauty for a moment and then quickly ran to bathroom to put together a potion for her. He returned shortly to find her awake and gave her the potion to ease her headache and calm her down. He sat beside her on the bed, and put his arms around her.
"I'm sorry Severus, I didn't mean to overreact like that. I just wish this didn't have to happen," she said, as tears began to stream down her face. She brushed them off with the sleeve of her cloak and looked at Severus with a great sadness that he couldn't bare to see in her eyes.
Instead of replying he leaned over to kiss her. They made love far into the night, both knowing that these could be the last moments that they spent together. They savored every touch, every kiss and every second. They removed each other's clothing inch by inch and after running their hands over each other, taking in every detail Severus laid Consuela down on the bed and began kissing her again. He moved from her lips to her cheek and then nibbled lightly on her ear. He then kissed down her neck and made his way slowly to her breasts. Her nipples were erect, revealing her growing desire for him. He took a generous mouthful and sucked pleasantly until he heard the sounds of her gasping. He then began kissing down her stomach, finally reaching the one place that desired his touch the most. He kissed and caressed every inch of her except that of which she craved. She was almost shivering with desire and when she began to whimper, he decided that it was time he gave her what she wanted. Her took her into his mouth and gently began sucking. He then began to flick his tongue over and around. She began to moan louder and he quickened his pace. She finally sank into release and smiled at him, as if in thanks. He climbed atop her and she forcefully turned him over. Severus grew harder and harder by the second. She sat straddling him and he said to her smiling, "I'm all yours, do whatever you like." Lowering her self onto him she reveled in Snape's low moan, which was almost a growl. She began to rock her hips back and forth slowly; she wanted this to last as long as it possibly could. Their hearts began to race and Consuela began once again to reach her peak. She started pumping back and forth with amazing speed. Snape could no longer take it. Both climaxed in a moment of pure ecstasy and sank into each other's arms.
The sun was just beginning to rise when Consuela said quietly, "If you don't return, than I want you to know that I love you."
Snape took in what she said, and felt a piercing pain in his heart. "I have to go now, I'm leaving in a few hours and I need to get everything prepared," he said, coldly. He left so suddenly that Consuela didn't even get a chance to call him back.
It's better this way, he thought. Now she has nothing to lose. She can get over me and not have to bear the news of my death with such severity. "It's better this way," he repeated, aloud.
****************************************
"Apparently Professor Snape is leaving for somewhere tonight. They're calling in some new guy to teach potions. Maybe he's been deemed mentally insane and has to spend the rest of his life in St. Mungo's," Ron said, loudly to the class, as they waited for the arrival of Professor McGonnagoll for Transfiguration. Their potions classes had been cancelled until further notice, without any explanation. All they knew was that Snape was leaving for a long time.
"At least he'll have friends there. Your parents will keep him company, won't they, Longbottom?" Pansy Parkinson said, with an evil sneer. If looks could kill Pansy would be lying on the floor from the look Draco was giving her. She smiled back, paying no attention to Draco's cold glare.
It was not lost on Hermione however. She saw it and wasn't as puzzled by it as she would've been a few years ago, since Draco had been acting differently lately. The entrance of Professor McGonnagoll interrupted her thoughts.
"Alright class, settle down. Today we will begin with -"
"Professor? Why is Professor Snape leaving? Do you know who is going to replace him? Dean Thomas asked, curiously, knowing that Professor McGonnagoll was always the one to ask when you wanted to know something important.
"That's not for me to discuss with you. A replacement has been found but I have not met him. That's all I would like to confer of this matter. Now back to the lesson."
After Transfiguration, Harry, Ron and Hermione were heading to towards the Greenhouse when Hermione realized that she had forgotten her quill. "I'll meet you two there. I have to run back and get my quill," she said quickly, as she dashed back to the Transfiguration classroom. She raced in, hoping that she wouldn't be late, when she saw Draco sitting casually in her usual spot running quill feather over his face. He looked up and smiled at her. She was completely stunned.
He got up from the chair and walked towards her. He leaned in as close as he could before touching her and said in soft whisper, "Meet me on the Quidditch pitch tonight, after dinner." He dropped the quill onto the books in her arms, letting the feather brush her chest and rushed away before she could even reply.
Consuela, now properly clad in a heavy black cloak that seemed to match the current emotion in the air at Hogwarts, ran towards her destination. As she ran, a horrible weight came over her. She ran faster, to get there as soon as she could, so she could find out what was happening, but the look on Snape's face had already told her that something was wrong, something was very, very wrong.
She reached her destination, and at first apprehensively, then with a jolt of courage she burst through the door to the Room of Requirement. She was expecting to see a room filled with people and instead it was completely deserted. She gazed around the room and thought about how different the room looked, since her night there with Severus. Her thoughts raced as she tried to figure out where the meeting could possibly be and she finally ended up deciding to try Dumbledore's office.
She walked up the spiral staircase, past the Gargoyle statue and knocked on the door as if not expecting a reply. To her surprise, the door opened and just as she thought her luck had finally starting, her eyes widened as she stared at the most beat down and depressed beings she had ever seen. Her vibrant blue eyes moved to glance at Snape, though he was not looking at her.
"Professor Gracewell, please take a seat," Dumbledore said, in a broken voice as a chair was pulled out magically from the table. Consuela sat down obediently and lowered her eyes to the floor. She waited in patience for the meeting to continue.
"Professor Gracewell, as I'm sure you know by now, I have some rather discouraging news. One of our members is being sent under cover in a most dangerous mission. His life is most certainly at stake and there are more lives than just his on the line." Dumbledore stopped speaking abruptly.
"Well, who -" She stopped short, with one look at Snape, she knew exactly who. Of course it would be him! Who else would they be able to send on a mission like this? He is the only one trusted enough by Voldemort and the Death Eaters. "But what is the mission? Why are so many lives at stake?"
Dumbledore looked even more crushed at her newest inquiries. "He has in his possession, an item of great power. It is an orb. This orb has to power to do great things. In the right hands it could cure thousands of horrible afflictions and purify most anything. In the wrong hands however, matters change. Professor Gracewell, can you tell me the one thing that Voldemort is set on, discluding Harry Potter?" He paused, not seeing any response, since Consuela was too stunned to say anything, he continued himself, "Muggles and Muggleborns. He can target them with this orb and destroy them. He could even target any wizard if he wished, me, Mr. Potter or any other that he would want to see put out of his way. This orb was thought to be a myth for centuries. Even I admit that I thought it could never possibly exist. In an ancient manuscript, it is called Valescere. It was said to be kept in Madrid, a city in the center of Spain. I went in search of it at one point, many years ago with my dear friend, Nicholas Flamel. We followed all of the instructions the manuscript had provided in finding it. Finally, after searching for weeks, we discovered a forgotten tomb. This tomb was buried and so we ventured far under ground. We found the orb that day, we found Valescere. We both decided that one day, when Voldemort was destroyed we could use it for our side. Neither of us wanted to destroy something with such extraordinary power for good. It was in a safe place and Voldemort knew nothing of it. I now apologize for my foolishness. If I had apprehended it, none of this would have happened. The mission is for Severus to apprehend the orb and destroy it. Voldemort and his most trusted Death Eaters are meeting atop Mt. Elbrus in Caucasus, Russia. The mountain is a dormant volcano, and Voldemort intends to use the volcano's power to fuel the orb. He must be stopped or the world is doomed." Dumbledore sank into his chair behind his desk and lowered his head into hands, beginning to weep.
Consuela could not believe what she was hearing. Because of him the man she loved was most likely to be killed! Because of him the fate of the world was hanging by a thin thread that was in Voldemort's hand. She began to become more enraged and shouted, "how could you do this to us? How could you put someone in this position? What happens if he fails? Do realize what's at stake because of you?! There has to be another way! There HAS to be a better solution!! How could you send the man I love to his execution?"
Without even noticing what she had revealed, she went into hysterics and finally collapsed to the ground in a fit of emotional exhaustion and stress. Snape carried her to her room with reassurances from Dumbledore that she would be all right. He didn't want her to wake up with the embarrassment she would surely feel in front of everyone. Snape apologized on her behalf before leaving and then hurried off as fast as he could. He thought bitterly of what she had said and how she had reacted. She was right; they didn't even know exactly how the orb worked. How much hope could there possibly be?
Then his mind wandered to the last thing that she had shouted, but he tried to block it from thought and convince himself that she was hysterical and didn't mean it. Still, no matter how he tried it still managed to budge through to the surface. She loves you. Why does she love me? I don't deserve her love. I never should have let anything happen between us. I knew all I would cause her is grief, pain and suffering, he thought quietly to himself.
He reached her room and burst through the door hastily. He carefully laid her upon her bed, admired her beauty for a moment and then quickly ran to bathroom to put together a potion for her. He returned shortly to find her awake and gave her the potion to ease her headache and calm her down. He sat beside her on the bed, and put his arms around her.
"I'm sorry Severus, I didn't mean to overreact like that. I just wish this didn't have to happen," she said, as tears began to stream down her face. She brushed them off with the sleeve of her cloak and looked at Severus with a great sadness that he couldn't bare to see in her eyes.
Instead of replying he leaned over to kiss her. They made love far into the night, both knowing that these could be the last moments that they spent together. They savored every touch, every kiss and every second. They removed each other's clothing inch by inch and after running their hands over each other, taking in every detail Severus laid Consuela down on the bed and began kissing her again. He moved from her lips to her cheek and then nibbled lightly on her ear. He then kissed down her neck and made his way slowly to her breasts. Her nipples were erect, revealing her growing desire for him. He took a generous mouthful and sucked pleasantly until he heard the sounds of her gasping. He then began kissing down her stomach, finally reaching the one place that desired his touch the most. He kissed and caressed every inch of her except that of which she craved. She was almost shivering with desire and when she began to whimper, he decided that it was time he gave her what she wanted. Her took her into his mouth and gently began sucking. He then began to flick his tongue over and around. She began to moan louder and he quickened his pace. She finally sank into release and smiled at him, as if in thanks. He climbed atop her and she forcefully turned him over. Severus grew harder and harder by the second. She sat straddling him and he said to her smiling, "I'm all yours, do whatever you like." Lowering her self onto him she reveled in Snape's low moan, which was almost a growl. She began to rock her hips back and forth slowly; she wanted this to last as long as it possibly could. Their hearts began to race and Consuela began once again to reach her peak. She started pumping back and forth with amazing speed. Snape could no longer take it. Both climaxed in a moment of pure ecstasy and sank into each other's arms.
The sun was just beginning to rise when Consuela said quietly, "If you don't return, than I want you to know that I love you."
Snape took in what she said, and felt a piercing pain in his heart. "I have to go now, I'm leaving in a few hours and I need to get everything prepared," he said, coldly. He left so suddenly that Consuela didn't even get a chance to call him back.
It's better this way, he thought. Now she has nothing to lose. She can get over me and not have to bear the news of my death with such severity. "It's better this way," he repeated, aloud.
****************************************
"Apparently Professor Snape is leaving for somewhere tonight. They're calling in some new guy to teach potions. Maybe he's been deemed mentally insane and has to spend the rest of his life in St. Mungo's," Ron said, loudly to the class, as they waited for the arrival of Professor McGonnagoll for Transfiguration. Their potions classes had been cancelled until further notice, without any explanation. All they knew was that Snape was leaving for a long time.
"At least he'll have friends there. Your parents will keep him company, won't they, Longbottom?" Pansy Parkinson said, with an evil sneer. If looks could kill Pansy would be lying on the floor from the look Draco was giving her. She smiled back, paying no attention to Draco's cold glare.
It was not lost on Hermione however. She saw it and wasn't as puzzled by it as she would've been a few years ago, since Draco had been acting differently lately. The entrance of Professor McGonnagoll interrupted her thoughts.
"Alright class, settle down. Today we will begin with -"
"Professor? Why is Professor Snape leaving? Do you know who is going to replace him? Dean Thomas asked, curiously, knowing that Professor McGonnagoll was always the one to ask when you wanted to know something important.
"That's not for me to discuss with you. A replacement has been found but I have not met him. That's all I would like to confer of this matter. Now back to the lesson."
After Transfiguration, Harry, Ron and Hermione were heading to towards the Greenhouse when Hermione realized that she had forgotten her quill. "I'll meet you two there. I have to run back and get my quill," she said quickly, as she dashed back to the Transfiguration classroom. She raced in, hoping that she wouldn't be late, when she saw Draco sitting casually in her usual spot running quill feather over his face. He looked up and smiled at her. She was completely stunned.
He got up from the chair and walked towards her. He leaned in as close as he could before touching her and said in soft whisper, "Meet me on the Quidditch pitch tonight, after dinner." He dropped the quill onto the books in her arms, letting the feather brush her chest and rushed away before she could even reply.