CHAPTER TWO: A Night at the Opera
Friday dawned bleary, the haze blanketing the sun in a watery glow. From the higher towers the ground and lake were practically invisible, the fog along the ground making the school appear to be a true castle in the clouds.
Madame von Gruppen, the school's Divinations teacher, studied the soggy brown stuff at the bottom of her teacup that morning.
"Ach, was soll's!" she cursed in her native German.
If the patterns turned out to be true, a private battle could get pretty ugly. And several people were going to be hurt - not just physically, but in their souls as well.
Perhaps today was a good day to stay inside for a change. She had all those teacups to wash...
----------
Breakfast and lunch played out similar to the day before, save that Martis completely ignored Lucius' presence and instead conversed with Sev (loudly) about going to the student opera together.
Lucius sulked while Narcissa listened intently to the conversation as the duo discussed the storyline of the opera, comparing notes and interpretations from their perspectives.
The Hogwarts Thespian Society was finally putting on the Wizard opera 'La Dame du Lac', a French opera written by the famous composer Musidora Barkwith. Unlike with her previous work 'The Wizarding Suite' (now banned due to the exploding tuba portion of the program), the French Renaissance piece was a gentler, more romantic (less dangerous) example of Madame Barkwith's brilliance in music.
The HTS had been working on the production for two years: making costumes, working out spells for the special effects and lighting, learning the music, and rehearsing the opera in the Hogsmeade Town Hall.
And now it was finally ready for both their classmates and Hogsmeade to watch in its full glory for one magical night!
Slytherin students excitedly got ready in the common room, adjusting their ties and smoothing out wrinkles in their robes. Girls applied a little make- up and styled their hair, while the guys made sure they did not smell too badly.
After all, they were going to take the carriages to Hogsmeade and watch it at the town hall with the citizens of the town. Which meant no Protection Spells would be active. Which meant a small slip of freedom.
Lucius went out of his way to present Martis with a huge bouquet of red roses in front of every student in Slytherin, which promptly got him a thorough cussing-out in Minoan and Greek with a little Russian and Turkish thrown in for good measure, not to mention getting swatted by the roses as Martis chased him around the common room. Narcissa slipped in during the distraction and offered to sit next to Sev during the opera (Sev scooted away from her in response).
Finally, students were called out and they all climbed into the two hundred- some-odd carriages waiting to take them to Hogsmeade.
Martis and Sev clamored into one with her twin sisters, of which Lucius and Narcissa expressed disappointment and claimed other carriages.
Narcissa was not pleased to find herself sharing a carriage with Slytherin Quidditch Captain Onslow Daizer, Keeper Fearghus Flynn, and Flynn's girlfriend the unmoving mountain Greta Bulstrode.
The Quidditch players began talking about the upcoming Cup Match, so Narcissa conversed a little with Greta.
"You could be such a pretty girl," Narcissa said. "If we styled your hair differently and put a little make-up on you." She eyed the big girl discreetly. "Perhaps even some proper undergarments and grooming."
Greta rolled her eyes, her square jaw set. "Black, I'll never be a Lady of Slytherin. If you need muscle or someone to intimidate someone else, no problem. But I know I'm not beautiful in the conventional sense."
Narcissa was rather surprised - this was the most she ever heard out of the Fourth-Year student, and was even more shocked that it came out fluently and rather cultured. Or the words being more than two syllables each.
"Nonsense," Narcissa commented, finally finding her voice. "You could do so much better than Flynn - "
"But I like Fearghus." Greta chuckled a little, her dark brown ponytails bouncing. "True, a little crude ... he gave me these joke glasses for a Valentine's gift at the last dance." She produced a pair of horn-rimmed glasses with a black and white spiral pattern on the lenses.
"What are they?" Narcissa asked politely.
"The joke shop called them 'X-Ray Glasses'. They allow you to look through objects, including clothes. We tried with the clothes, but we think the Protection Spells jammed it up. It works, though, we tested it by spying through classroom doors while out in the halls."
"Really?" Narcissa asked, taking the glasses from her hand and looking them over for the first time. "Mind if I borrow them for a few minutes when we get to Hogsmeade?"
"Not at all," Greta answered, accepting them back. She grinned. "I'm also curious as to what all the guys look like under their robes and uniforms, too."
Narcissa nodded, trying not to let her distaste show. She had a similar idea along those lines, but she mainly wanted to see what her competition had that Lucius seemed so damned obsessed about. There was no other reason he would be after Vox.
They arrived in Hogsmeade and were dropped off at the town hall, which was brilliantly decorated with fairies and golden bubbles, revealing the artistic touch of Professor Flitwick.
As Greta got out of the carriage, Narcissa reached into the pocket of the girl's robe and withdrew the 'X-Ray Glasses'. Slipping them on discreetly, Narcissa scanned the crowd over the frames before she finally found Martis and Sev strolling across the walk to the entry.
From her point, Narcissa saw both in profile, and pushed the glasses up on her nose to see if the 'X-Ray' part worked.
Yes, it did.
Martis was no different than any other female student. There was nothing remarkable about her form or development, save the fact that she was naturally dark all over as befitting a native Mediterranean.
However, since Sev was in the line-of-sight, Narcissa got quite an eyeful she did not expect...
Thin, scholarly-build, pale as herself, and...
"Woof," she breathed. [The nose thing Akiko mentioned is right!]
Narcissa pulled the glasses off and located Greta, slipping them back in the girl's pocket, and chased after Sev.
She had been so worried of having to Go All the Way - and yet here was Severus just needing a woman's touch to teach him how to use what he has.
But would he? He seemed indifferent to her most of the time, although he did like the attention she gave him yesterday in the library. Was there a way to get his attention fully on her?
For one thing, get Vox out of the way. This might be reason enough to actually bless Lucius' desire for the Cretan.
For another, a love spell she had once come across in one of Lucius' Dark Arts books may help in this respect.
----------
"What is this about, anyway?" Thomas St. Claire asked as he leaned forward in his seat and between Martis and Sev's heads.
"Weren't you paying attention at all?" Martis asked.
"No, I'm a jock." He grinned a thousand-watt smile.
"It's the alleged love story between the wizard Merlin and the witch Morgan le Fay and their influences on a Muggle king named Arthur Pendragon," Martis answered.
"As well as the last years of the isle of Avalon," Sev added. "Before it disappeared into the mists."
"Groovy," Thomas stated. "So, it's really going to be in French, huh?"
"'La Dame du Lac' translates as 'The Lady of the Lake', which is the title held by the witch of Avalon - at least when Morgan le Fay was in charge." Martis grinned. "There's been speculation if it were Morgan or Viviane who was doing all that stuff during that time."
Narcissa Black settled in the seat next to Sev. "Perhaps it was neither - it might have been Nimue."
"A triple-Goddess entity, then," Martis commented. "Not the first time it's happened in mythology. Although why Morgawse always is forgotten is beyond me."
"But Merlin and Morgan were real wizards!" Narcissa objected. "They weren't myth!"
"Far enough back in history for it to be counted as mythology," Sev corrected her. "I understand that the Muggles have spun huge myth structures around them and the things they did." He chuckled. "Of course, we aren't any better by supporting this opera."
Narcissa leaned her chin on his shoulder, her lips touching his hair. "I heard there really wasn't a love story between them at all."
"True," he admitted. "I'm positive they were unaware of it." Sev turned his face and mouthed, 'Help!'
Martis blinked behind her sunglasses, then said, "Where's your twin- boyfriend, Black?"
"I thought it's been made clear by now that we are no longer together - "
"Sorry I'm late," Lucius' voice said. A wave of musky cologne fell over the group before Lucius sat down next to Martis.
Martis scowled at him. "What are you doing here?"
"Going to enjoy the opera," he answered.
She waved her hand in front of her face. "Nice perfume - must you marinate in it? My eyes are burning."
Sev and Narcissa giggled.
Lucius sniffed, which nearly choked him but he was not going to let Narcissa see it. He brushed hair over his ear to see Martis better. "It'll fade in a few minutes, Britomartis."
"Either the perfume will or I will," she muttered.
The lights blinked three times, indicating it was time for students to finish taking their seats. The room quieted down as the lights finally faded to darkness, and the footlights slowly began to glow brighter.
A lone flute played, followed by two violins and a cello, then the voice of the boy playing Merlin began to sing and the student orchestra lifted his voice aloft with their music.
----------
Unbeknownst to the entire hall during the performance, Narcissa had acquired three hairs from Sev's head. Pulling out three of her own, she began to braid them into a double braid, softly chanting the incantation of desire and need, binding him to her. Discreetly, she tied one end of the double-braid to the other and looked at Sev, needing the very last ingredient...
As she debated how to get a drop of his blood, she began looking through her handbag to see what she had.
A cuticle pusher with a razor scraper on the end. Perfect.
Narcissa looked up, seeing Sev completely engrossed in the opera. Quickly, she scraped the razor end across the back of his wrist. He absently scratched his wrist as he continued to watch the performance.
She flipped the cuticle pusher and used the pusher-end to scoop up a little blood; she smeared the blood along the hairs and allowed it to dry a little as she softly incanted the spell to bind his desires to her.
Narcissa inhaled, and then finally placed the double-braid loop around her wrist.
The scent of magic was hardly noticeable, especially with Lucius' cologne still overpowering the area. She had gotten away with making it ... now to see if it would work.
Narcissa snaked her hand up Sev's arm and around his shoulder, laying her head against his own. He did nothing for a moment, then turned his head and kissed her forehead, something Severus Snape would never EVER do.
Success!
----------
Martis was about to rename Lucius 'The Humanoid Octopus' by the time intermission mercifully arrived. She leapt out of her seat and climbed over the back row to where Thomas St. Claire and Evan Ryper were sitting with their dates.
"How do I get rid of him?" she whispered.
"Which one?" Evan asked. "The one who's been pretending he isn't feeling you up or the one pretending he isn't feeling up Narcissa?"
"WHAT??"
Evan jerked his head toward the exit and got up; she followed him out to the vestibule. "I thought you would notice. Snape and Black have been doing ... interesting things to each other right next to you."
Martis felt her hair stand on end even though it did not show. "I would have noticed!"
"Well, it is a very engaging opera." Evan folded his arms. "Martis ... Tom and I were watching it. We were placing bets on when you'd start pounding Narcissa. I think she did something to him."
"She had to have if he's not screaming about an inbred slut copping him." Martis began pacing around.
"Well, we figured out that much because we expected him to be feeling you up."
Martis sighed. "Of course not, we're like soul-siblings."
Evan smiled, and then became serious. "What do you want us to do?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because you're his best friend and we're his roommates and we all remember what happened with Teasey. We're not going to go through that crap again." He chuckled. "Besides, you'll only shoot down Tom's and my idea for what to do so we're asking you."
"What was your idea?"
"Having Snape tattoo 'Property of Spirals' on his skinny butt."
Martis almost burst into laughter. "Bad enough he wrote 'Snips' Snow-Bunny' on my forehead during Christmas holidays."
"Then there's hope for you two yet. Instructions?"
"I have to think about it, Evan. I have to find out what she did to him first."
He nodded. "And should we do anything about Malfoy?"
"Short-sheet his bed with a cherry pie when you get back."
"Yes, ma'am!" Evan saluted.
----------
The opera was over and the performers of both music and song were applauded with standing ovations, most especially for the two leads portraying Merlin and Morgan.
The house lights came up and students got up to begin leaving the hall. A few couples snuck out and trotted around the corner to Madame Puddifoot's Tea House for a quick snog, while several stopped by the Three Broomsticks for a mug or two of warm butterbeer before they traveled back to the school in the chill April night.
"Let's just go back to the school," Martis said, tugging on Sev's robe sleeve. "The game is tomorrow morning and we need to be ready."
"You can go on back, Spirals," Sev told her. "You need the rest."
"And what are you going to do?" she asked severely.
"Narcissa and I are going to discuss the opera over tea."
"Snips, we REALLY need to get back," Martis insisted, clutching his arm.
Sev looked down at her. His eyes hardened, becoming long tunnels of darkness. "Britomartis, go away."
Sev turned. Narcissa's expression of pure bliss as he wrapped an arm around her waist while they left the hall stabbed into Martis' chest, causing her head to fill with a roaring sound.
"Fine," she found herself saying. "Go on, Snape. You might have forgotten you hate her guts, but I haven't." She ranted, "You're under the influence of a round-heeled face-sucker!" Then muttered, "I just haven't figured out how she did it ... "
"Is there a problem, Britomartis?" Lucius asked.
"Get lost," she snarled, turning heel and leaving the hall. She bypassed the carriages and set off on foot down the street, intending to walk the whole way back to the school.
Lucius followed her, keeping a respectful pace a few steps behind.
"Narcissa does have that effect on the male gender," Lucius commented after they left the train station and set out on the dark road around the lake. He pulled out his wand and said, "Lumos."
"Any part of the male gender that doesn't have the least bit of self- discipline or self-respect," Martis snapped. "We've been through this with Sonia Stellamaris! All these blonde, blue-eyed bimbos have been taking advantage of him since the get-go. And he doesn't seem to learn!"
"His loss," Lucius said, moving a pace closer to her. "If he cannot appreciate what he has, then he'll lose it ... " His voice softened as he appeared at her elbow. " ... to someone who would appreciate it."
Martis looked up at him in her walk, then laughed and turned back to the road, picking her way over the dirt in the moonlight. "You can be almost humorous sometimes, Lucy."
"How so?"
"You're so very damn serious in your belief that I'm worth chasing after. What is it you really want from me? Hoppi-hoppa or the fact that I don't bore you to death like you bore me to death?"
"Indeed, very little 'boring' actually goes on," he groused.
Martis rubbed her shoulders. "If it weren't so cold, I'd probably laugh at the pun. May the Goddess forbid you ever to reveal your version of Earthy humor."
Without hesitation, Lucius swept his cloak outward and wrapped part of it around her. "At least allow me to be gentleman enough to keep you warm."
"I'll take blatant advantage of it, but don't expect any sort of payment."
"I'm not the type to ask for payment," Lucius stated. "If anything, I offer most things freely."
"Only if it suits you," Martis retorted, huddling under the cloak and closer to him. His hands may be like ice, but his torso was very, very warm, especially in this cold and damp weather.
"Well, dear Britomartis, you've got me there. I do present myself as shallow - "
"Because you are. You're incredibly good-looking - that's about the only thing that really impresses me. Your rants about influence, power, wealth, and Pureblood inbreeding bores me to tears."
Lucius smirked. "At least I score one point in your favor."
"Only when you're not hanging around Narcissa - half the time I hope that it's her in the showers when she comes in clothed; very hard to tell the difference between you two."
"I'll ignore that." His arm drew around her shoulder under the cloak. "You're an exasperating girl."
"You're a complete and total smeghead. Hands off."
His fingertips caressed her throat, tracing up to the outline of her earlobe. "You're not stopping me," he whispered.
"Give me a minute... " she breathed as his fingertips grazed along her jaw line.
Martis tried to focus, but the touch - the intent - awoke things in her she was not aware of, especially that tightening in her stomach that made her knees go weak and her heart to beat faster and pour blood into her pelvis.
[This is only a physical effect from a physical cause. I should cease the cause, but the physiological response is blurring my thinking...]
Overriding these sporadic thought processes was a small part of her clawing for the attention, the need to be wanted, the want to be desired. He was Awakening her, and she was lost in the tide of feelings from her suddenly hypersensitive skin.
His hand fully cupped her cheek and pressed her face toward his, causing both to stop in their walk. Martis felt her body rack in spasms of tension as Lucius' mouth enclosed over hers, his lips manipulating against her own as his other hand pulled her close against his body. She had to grip his shoulder to keep from falling to the ground due to her legs shaking uncontrollably.
[Oh, Great Mother, I'm allowing Lucius Malfoy to kiss me! Kill me now! PLEASE!]
She was rendered speechless, her body taking over her responses - which were limited to being frozen and allowing him to caress his lips across her cheek and to her ear. A hand wandered up her torso, getting dangerously near her breast.
"Britomartis," he breathed. "I want you. Let me have you - "
"Lucius - "
He brushed his thumb lightly over a highly sensitive part of her chest. "I want to make love to you."
Everything in her being stopped, skipped a heartbeat, and then crashed down like a train through the center of her body.
Her focus had now reached super-sharp clarity.
Martis pulled away from Lucius, finding her sunglasses and slipping them back on. "You can have me if you can carry me off in a Finnish Style Bridal Raid. SMEGHEAD."
She stomped on his instep and dashed the rest of the way to the castle gate and through the courtyard, bypassing the entrance to the dorms, and raced up through the school building and into the Conversation Room. She threw herself on the stone floor and clutched her sides, forcing herself to cry tears that she could not summon.
[Everything's falling apart! Snips is being taken away from me! Lucius just wanted me for his perverted lusts! Narcissa -
[Narcissa put a love spell on Severus! Why else would he have...? GREAT MOTHER!]
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Sev began to notice little things about Narcissa he had never noticed before - the way her hair slipped over her shoulders, how her lips were a pink rose-petal color, how the hollow of her neck slipped up her creamy throat...
She was beautiful, exquisite, like a snow queen or an ethereal vision. And the crystal sapphire of her blue eyes was like a sugar frost...
But all that could be overpowered when she breathed, causing her chest to expand, or the fact she smelled good and that he wanted to slowly undress her before...
Gods, what insane ramblings to have in a teahouse!
"What are you thinking?" Narcissa asked.
"How to get you alone," Sev admitted, staring intently into her face. He brushed his hair back over his ears. "You probably think I'm some idiot, but ... I've wanted you the whole evening. I've nothing much to offer you, though."
Narcissa reached across the table and placed her finger on his lips. Sev darted his tongue out and licked her fingertip, keeping his dark eyes to hers.
"Your offer is tempting, Severus," she breathed.
"Will you allow me?" He raised his hand and held her fingers, kissing the palm of her hand. "I promise to give you my full attentions and my willingness to please you."
[Poor Severus ... even Britomartis had not relieved you of your virgin burden, despite the rumors.]
Narcissa leaned over the table, closing her eyes as she licked along his bottom lip, over the upper lip, and then pressing into his mouth as her lips met his.
He moaned against her mouth, holding her face to prolong his First Kiss. Her mouth was incredible, tasting unlike anything he had ever known, as the soft, moist textures of her mouth played against his tongue.
He reluctantly released her ... and briefly wondered how Martis had been replaced by Narcissa.
Oh, yes, he was kissing Narcissa. That's right. Only Narcissa, the one he wanted.
"Tell you what," Narcissa whispered against his lips. "You find us a private place that the Protection Spells won't touch, and we'll start your education tomorrow night."
"I will do so, my love."
----------
A pounding on his private rooms' door had awakened Professor Sejanus Sartoris out of a sound sleep. Grumbling, intending to curse whichever idiot student dared to disturb him, he opened the door to find Britomartis Vox on the other side.
"Severus has been enchanted!" Martis cried before he could open his mouth.
"Beg pardon?" Sartoris asked.
"He's got a spell on him by some trollop! How do we break lust spells?"
"Why are you asking me?" he demanded.
"Because you're the Potions Master! You must have SOME antidote laying around!"
Sartoris sighed. [Not good. Snape's going to plotz when he hears what happened to his son.] "Do you know what type of spell?" he asked aloud.
"Either a love or a lust spell - I'm betting on a lust one."
"Which one in particular?" Sartoris inquired impatiently. "Each spell has its own unique counterspell or antidote - you can't just throw a counterspell at it and it'll be fixed; it either won't work or just exacerbate the problem."
"Then what am I to do?"
"Find out what spell was used - I'm quite sure you can persuade the caster to tell you." He folded his arms. "If you come by my office tomorrow morning, I can give you a crystal that will determine how powerful the enchantment is. It may help to narrow down what type was used."
Martis nodded. "Meanwhile, I need to make sure nothing happens."
"You need to - consummation of such enchantments can either result in extreme hate or eternal bondage to the caster."
"No way. I'll break her pelvis before she gets him." Martis looked up at him. "I'll be at your office before breakfast. Night, sir."
"Good night." Sartoris entered his rooms and closed the door, exhaling loudly. Teenagers were too damned exhausting.
----------
The next morning Martis ran into the Great Hall when it was just an hour before the game and only a few students were studying. She held aloft a large rose quartz in her hand, heading toward the Slytherin tables.
"I'VE GOT IT!" she yelled, rushing up to Sev. "Hold still!"
"What are you doing, Martis?" he demanded, obviously irritated that someone interrupted his study time with Narcissa.
"Seeing what kind of spell peroxide-bitch put you under," she answered, sneering at Narcissa.
"What are you - ?!" Narcissa began to yell.
But the yell was suspended due to the rose quartz - which had been waved over Sev's head - shattering, causing shards of quartz to rain all over those within a five-foot radius.
"What the freak was that for??" Peony Danderfluff asked angrily.
The few Slytherins brushed quartz off their hair and robes, grumbling about Spirals' odd habits as they went back to studying.
At the head table - sharing tea - sat the Heads of House of Gryffindor and Slytherin, whom were turning white at the spectacle of the shattering quartz.
Martis picked up Narcissa by the tie, making the Fifth-Year stare back into her sunglasses. "What kind of lust spell did you put on him, Black?"
Narcissa stared at Martis coldly, gripping the Second-Year girl's wrist. "What makes you think I put any spell on him?"
"Because he is acting completely out of character for himself - he doesn't like you, much less want to do anything with you. And anything intimate scares the Avernus out of him. I know him better than any of you, and you - Narcissa Black - is the last person he wants."
"That's a lie," Sev stated, also grabbing Martis' wrist. "Let go of Narcissa."
"Severus, you've been mind-raped."
"I have not - !"
Martis released Narcissa and turned to him. "If you haven't, why the bloody hell are you trying to stick your tongue down her throat? That isn't you - you haven't even the guts to kiss me and I'm the person you trust the most in your whole life! And yet you're trying to get your rocks off with her, of all people! You've been mind-raped!"
Sev grabbed her tie, forcing her to stare into his dark eyes. "Martis, keep out of this."
"Severus, you're not yourself."
"You can't get in the way this time. I'm going to have her."
"You've never wanted her! The first time I met you, you were calling her a 'dysenteric weasel with a terminal case of hemorrhoids'. And the description was spot on!"
"Things change."
"Not overnight!"
He yanked down on her tie, releasing her. "Forget it. I'm having Narcissa - and you won't stop me. I'm taking her up to the Conversation Room tonight - "
Martis snatched her sunglasses off, her moss green eyes staring hard into his own. "Over - my - dead - body," she seethed. "That's OUR place!"
"Who says?"
"We BOTH said! If you TRY to take her up there, I WILL break your legs!"
"Why?" Sev sneered. "Are you planning on taking Malfoy up there?"
"Hell NO!"
"Then you better explain it to him - here he comes."
Martis turned around - and her whole world suddenly turned upside-down as someone lifted her up by the ankles and draped her over their back, locking her knees over his shoulders.
Martis gazed at Sev, who seemed to be sitting next to Narcissa on the ceiling while students began to get out of their seats, at least until her robe fell in her face.
"WHAT THE AVERNUS IS GOING ON?!?!" she shrieked.
"Finnish-style Bridal Raid, as requested," Lucius' voice answered.
"LET OUR SISTER GO, MALFOY!" the twins and Phaedra ordered.
The commotion turned into an uproar as the Vox sisters leapt over the tables toward Lucius, whom appeared to be kidnapping Martis. The entire Great Hall filled with shouts and cries of either horror or laughter, while McGonagall and Penderdandis tried to calm the few scores of students down.
Seeing the Vox sisters chasing after Lucius, both teachers decided they would deal with the Fifth-Year later.
Unfortunately for Martis, due to being held upside-down on Lucius' back, not only did her robe fall but so did her skirt...
Everyone saw the pink panties.
The Marauders wolf-whistled, which promptly got them swatted by every female Gryffindor around them, along with a few Hufflepuff girls nearest them offering their own punishment to the boys.
Sev turned, saw Lucius running off with Martis, her sisters chasing after them, and the entire Slytherin Quidditch team in hot pursuit.
He got up, but Narcissa clutched his arm. "Where you going, lover?" she purred.
"I - " Sev looked down at her; she licked along her lower lip. He shrugged and sat back down. "None of my business."
Sev did not understand why Evan Ryper and Martis' roommates were shooting dirty looks at him.
----------
"You saw it shatter, Gallo," Minerva McGonagall stated after the students settled down into conversations.
"Indeed I did, Professor McGonagall," Professor Penderdandis answered quietly. "It does worry me."
"Do something about it."
"And how? Start accusing various individuals of practicing the Dark Arts?"
"You know as well as I that lust spells are the equivalent of rape; it's forcing someone to feel and act in ways they never would on their own." McGonagall gazed at him over her rectangular glasses. "We also know that Miss Vox looks out for Mr. Snape like her own - and I've always suspected Miss Black - "
Penderdandis pushed his glasses up on his face. "Minerva, kindly butt out of the affairs of my House."
"I'm only expressing concern - "
"And it is shared, but I know something you don't."
"Which is?"
Penderdandis' mouth fell into a straight line. "My students are perfectly capable of handling it when they set their minds to it. I am positive Miss Vox will rescue Mr. Snape from the enchantment."
"This is beyond the experience of a Second-Year student, Gallo," she reminded him. "Lust spells are near impossible to break without at least Seventh-Year training."
"And any idiot can pick up a book and cast the spell without even their OWL- levels. That's what makes Dark Arts popular - any moron can generate powerful effects without study. Luckily the side-effects kill the real morons."
McGonagall shook her head. "It's a miracle any of your students make it out of Slytherin alive."
Penderdandis smiled grimly. "Some don't. It builds character to face challenges that aren't in textbooks - using one's wits and resourcefulness is all that really matters in the end."
"This is still getting reported to the Headmaster."
"As it should be."
----------
Friday dawned bleary, the haze blanketing the sun in a watery glow. From the higher towers the ground and lake were practically invisible, the fog along the ground making the school appear to be a true castle in the clouds.
Madame von Gruppen, the school's Divinations teacher, studied the soggy brown stuff at the bottom of her teacup that morning.
"Ach, was soll's!" she cursed in her native German.
If the patterns turned out to be true, a private battle could get pretty ugly. And several people were going to be hurt - not just physically, but in their souls as well.
Perhaps today was a good day to stay inside for a change. She had all those teacups to wash...
----------
Breakfast and lunch played out similar to the day before, save that Martis completely ignored Lucius' presence and instead conversed with Sev (loudly) about going to the student opera together.
Lucius sulked while Narcissa listened intently to the conversation as the duo discussed the storyline of the opera, comparing notes and interpretations from their perspectives.
The Hogwarts Thespian Society was finally putting on the Wizard opera 'La Dame du Lac', a French opera written by the famous composer Musidora Barkwith. Unlike with her previous work 'The Wizarding Suite' (now banned due to the exploding tuba portion of the program), the French Renaissance piece was a gentler, more romantic (less dangerous) example of Madame Barkwith's brilliance in music.
The HTS had been working on the production for two years: making costumes, working out spells for the special effects and lighting, learning the music, and rehearsing the opera in the Hogsmeade Town Hall.
And now it was finally ready for both their classmates and Hogsmeade to watch in its full glory for one magical night!
Slytherin students excitedly got ready in the common room, adjusting their ties and smoothing out wrinkles in their robes. Girls applied a little make- up and styled their hair, while the guys made sure they did not smell too badly.
After all, they were going to take the carriages to Hogsmeade and watch it at the town hall with the citizens of the town. Which meant no Protection Spells would be active. Which meant a small slip of freedom.
Lucius went out of his way to present Martis with a huge bouquet of red roses in front of every student in Slytherin, which promptly got him a thorough cussing-out in Minoan and Greek with a little Russian and Turkish thrown in for good measure, not to mention getting swatted by the roses as Martis chased him around the common room. Narcissa slipped in during the distraction and offered to sit next to Sev during the opera (Sev scooted away from her in response).
Finally, students were called out and they all climbed into the two hundred- some-odd carriages waiting to take them to Hogsmeade.
Martis and Sev clamored into one with her twin sisters, of which Lucius and Narcissa expressed disappointment and claimed other carriages.
Narcissa was not pleased to find herself sharing a carriage with Slytherin Quidditch Captain Onslow Daizer, Keeper Fearghus Flynn, and Flynn's girlfriend the unmoving mountain Greta Bulstrode.
The Quidditch players began talking about the upcoming Cup Match, so Narcissa conversed a little with Greta.
"You could be such a pretty girl," Narcissa said. "If we styled your hair differently and put a little make-up on you." She eyed the big girl discreetly. "Perhaps even some proper undergarments and grooming."
Greta rolled her eyes, her square jaw set. "Black, I'll never be a Lady of Slytherin. If you need muscle or someone to intimidate someone else, no problem. But I know I'm not beautiful in the conventional sense."
Narcissa was rather surprised - this was the most she ever heard out of the Fourth-Year student, and was even more shocked that it came out fluently and rather cultured. Or the words being more than two syllables each.
"Nonsense," Narcissa commented, finally finding her voice. "You could do so much better than Flynn - "
"But I like Fearghus." Greta chuckled a little, her dark brown ponytails bouncing. "True, a little crude ... he gave me these joke glasses for a Valentine's gift at the last dance." She produced a pair of horn-rimmed glasses with a black and white spiral pattern on the lenses.
"What are they?" Narcissa asked politely.
"The joke shop called them 'X-Ray Glasses'. They allow you to look through objects, including clothes. We tried with the clothes, but we think the Protection Spells jammed it up. It works, though, we tested it by spying through classroom doors while out in the halls."
"Really?" Narcissa asked, taking the glasses from her hand and looking them over for the first time. "Mind if I borrow them for a few minutes when we get to Hogsmeade?"
"Not at all," Greta answered, accepting them back. She grinned. "I'm also curious as to what all the guys look like under their robes and uniforms, too."
Narcissa nodded, trying not to let her distaste show. She had a similar idea along those lines, but she mainly wanted to see what her competition had that Lucius seemed so damned obsessed about. There was no other reason he would be after Vox.
They arrived in Hogsmeade and were dropped off at the town hall, which was brilliantly decorated with fairies and golden bubbles, revealing the artistic touch of Professor Flitwick.
As Greta got out of the carriage, Narcissa reached into the pocket of the girl's robe and withdrew the 'X-Ray Glasses'. Slipping them on discreetly, Narcissa scanned the crowd over the frames before she finally found Martis and Sev strolling across the walk to the entry.
From her point, Narcissa saw both in profile, and pushed the glasses up on her nose to see if the 'X-Ray' part worked.
Yes, it did.
Martis was no different than any other female student. There was nothing remarkable about her form or development, save the fact that she was naturally dark all over as befitting a native Mediterranean.
However, since Sev was in the line-of-sight, Narcissa got quite an eyeful she did not expect...
Thin, scholarly-build, pale as herself, and...
"Woof," she breathed. [The nose thing Akiko mentioned is right!]
Narcissa pulled the glasses off and located Greta, slipping them back in the girl's pocket, and chased after Sev.
She had been so worried of having to Go All the Way - and yet here was Severus just needing a woman's touch to teach him how to use what he has.
But would he? He seemed indifferent to her most of the time, although he did like the attention she gave him yesterday in the library. Was there a way to get his attention fully on her?
For one thing, get Vox out of the way. This might be reason enough to actually bless Lucius' desire for the Cretan.
For another, a love spell she had once come across in one of Lucius' Dark Arts books may help in this respect.
----------
"What is this about, anyway?" Thomas St. Claire asked as he leaned forward in his seat and between Martis and Sev's heads.
"Weren't you paying attention at all?" Martis asked.
"No, I'm a jock." He grinned a thousand-watt smile.
"It's the alleged love story between the wizard Merlin and the witch Morgan le Fay and their influences on a Muggle king named Arthur Pendragon," Martis answered.
"As well as the last years of the isle of Avalon," Sev added. "Before it disappeared into the mists."
"Groovy," Thomas stated. "So, it's really going to be in French, huh?"
"'La Dame du Lac' translates as 'The Lady of the Lake', which is the title held by the witch of Avalon - at least when Morgan le Fay was in charge." Martis grinned. "There's been speculation if it were Morgan or Viviane who was doing all that stuff during that time."
Narcissa Black settled in the seat next to Sev. "Perhaps it was neither - it might have been Nimue."
"A triple-Goddess entity, then," Martis commented. "Not the first time it's happened in mythology. Although why Morgawse always is forgotten is beyond me."
"But Merlin and Morgan were real wizards!" Narcissa objected. "They weren't myth!"
"Far enough back in history for it to be counted as mythology," Sev corrected her. "I understand that the Muggles have spun huge myth structures around them and the things they did." He chuckled. "Of course, we aren't any better by supporting this opera."
Narcissa leaned her chin on his shoulder, her lips touching his hair. "I heard there really wasn't a love story between them at all."
"True," he admitted. "I'm positive they were unaware of it." Sev turned his face and mouthed, 'Help!'
Martis blinked behind her sunglasses, then said, "Where's your twin- boyfriend, Black?"
"I thought it's been made clear by now that we are no longer together - "
"Sorry I'm late," Lucius' voice said. A wave of musky cologne fell over the group before Lucius sat down next to Martis.
Martis scowled at him. "What are you doing here?"
"Going to enjoy the opera," he answered.
She waved her hand in front of her face. "Nice perfume - must you marinate in it? My eyes are burning."
Sev and Narcissa giggled.
Lucius sniffed, which nearly choked him but he was not going to let Narcissa see it. He brushed hair over his ear to see Martis better. "It'll fade in a few minutes, Britomartis."
"Either the perfume will or I will," she muttered.
The lights blinked three times, indicating it was time for students to finish taking their seats. The room quieted down as the lights finally faded to darkness, and the footlights slowly began to glow brighter.
A lone flute played, followed by two violins and a cello, then the voice of the boy playing Merlin began to sing and the student orchestra lifted his voice aloft with their music.
----------
Unbeknownst to the entire hall during the performance, Narcissa had acquired three hairs from Sev's head. Pulling out three of her own, she began to braid them into a double braid, softly chanting the incantation of desire and need, binding him to her. Discreetly, she tied one end of the double-braid to the other and looked at Sev, needing the very last ingredient...
As she debated how to get a drop of his blood, she began looking through her handbag to see what she had.
A cuticle pusher with a razor scraper on the end. Perfect.
Narcissa looked up, seeing Sev completely engrossed in the opera. Quickly, she scraped the razor end across the back of his wrist. He absently scratched his wrist as he continued to watch the performance.
She flipped the cuticle pusher and used the pusher-end to scoop up a little blood; she smeared the blood along the hairs and allowed it to dry a little as she softly incanted the spell to bind his desires to her.
Narcissa inhaled, and then finally placed the double-braid loop around her wrist.
The scent of magic was hardly noticeable, especially with Lucius' cologne still overpowering the area. She had gotten away with making it ... now to see if it would work.
Narcissa snaked her hand up Sev's arm and around his shoulder, laying her head against his own. He did nothing for a moment, then turned his head and kissed her forehead, something Severus Snape would never EVER do.
Success!
----------
Martis was about to rename Lucius 'The Humanoid Octopus' by the time intermission mercifully arrived. She leapt out of her seat and climbed over the back row to where Thomas St. Claire and Evan Ryper were sitting with their dates.
"How do I get rid of him?" she whispered.
"Which one?" Evan asked. "The one who's been pretending he isn't feeling you up or the one pretending he isn't feeling up Narcissa?"
"WHAT??"
Evan jerked his head toward the exit and got up; she followed him out to the vestibule. "I thought you would notice. Snape and Black have been doing ... interesting things to each other right next to you."
Martis felt her hair stand on end even though it did not show. "I would have noticed!"
"Well, it is a very engaging opera." Evan folded his arms. "Martis ... Tom and I were watching it. We were placing bets on when you'd start pounding Narcissa. I think she did something to him."
"She had to have if he's not screaming about an inbred slut copping him." Martis began pacing around.
"Well, we figured out that much because we expected him to be feeling you up."
Martis sighed. "Of course not, we're like soul-siblings."
Evan smiled, and then became serious. "What do you want us to do?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because you're his best friend and we're his roommates and we all remember what happened with Teasey. We're not going to go through that crap again." He chuckled. "Besides, you'll only shoot down Tom's and my idea for what to do so we're asking you."
"What was your idea?"
"Having Snape tattoo 'Property of Spirals' on his skinny butt."
Martis almost burst into laughter. "Bad enough he wrote 'Snips' Snow-Bunny' on my forehead during Christmas holidays."
"Then there's hope for you two yet. Instructions?"
"I have to think about it, Evan. I have to find out what she did to him first."
He nodded. "And should we do anything about Malfoy?"
"Short-sheet his bed with a cherry pie when you get back."
"Yes, ma'am!" Evan saluted.
----------
The opera was over and the performers of both music and song were applauded with standing ovations, most especially for the two leads portraying Merlin and Morgan.
The house lights came up and students got up to begin leaving the hall. A few couples snuck out and trotted around the corner to Madame Puddifoot's Tea House for a quick snog, while several stopped by the Three Broomsticks for a mug or two of warm butterbeer before they traveled back to the school in the chill April night.
"Let's just go back to the school," Martis said, tugging on Sev's robe sleeve. "The game is tomorrow morning and we need to be ready."
"You can go on back, Spirals," Sev told her. "You need the rest."
"And what are you going to do?" she asked severely.
"Narcissa and I are going to discuss the opera over tea."
"Snips, we REALLY need to get back," Martis insisted, clutching his arm.
Sev looked down at her. His eyes hardened, becoming long tunnels of darkness. "Britomartis, go away."
Sev turned. Narcissa's expression of pure bliss as he wrapped an arm around her waist while they left the hall stabbed into Martis' chest, causing her head to fill with a roaring sound.
"Fine," she found herself saying. "Go on, Snape. You might have forgotten you hate her guts, but I haven't." She ranted, "You're under the influence of a round-heeled face-sucker!" Then muttered, "I just haven't figured out how she did it ... "
"Is there a problem, Britomartis?" Lucius asked.
"Get lost," she snarled, turning heel and leaving the hall. She bypassed the carriages and set off on foot down the street, intending to walk the whole way back to the school.
Lucius followed her, keeping a respectful pace a few steps behind.
"Narcissa does have that effect on the male gender," Lucius commented after they left the train station and set out on the dark road around the lake. He pulled out his wand and said, "Lumos."
"Any part of the male gender that doesn't have the least bit of self- discipline or self-respect," Martis snapped. "We've been through this with Sonia Stellamaris! All these blonde, blue-eyed bimbos have been taking advantage of him since the get-go. And he doesn't seem to learn!"
"His loss," Lucius said, moving a pace closer to her. "If he cannot appreciate what he has, then he'll lose it ... " His voice softened as he appeared at her elbow. " ... to someone who would appreciate it."
Martis looked up at him in her walk, then laughed and turned back to the road, picking her way over the dirt in the moonlight. "You can be almost humorous sometimes, Lucy."
"How so?"
"You're so very damn serious in your belief that I'm worth chasing after. What is it you really want from me? Hoppi-hoppa or the fact that I don't bore you to death like you bore me to death?"
"Indeed, very little 'boring' actually goes on," he groused.
Martis rubbed her shoulders. "If it weren't so cold, I'd probably laugh at the pun. May the Goddess forbid you ever to reveal your version of Earthy humor."
Without hesitation, Lucius swept his cloak outward and wrapped part of it around her. "At least allow me to be gentleman enough to keep you warm."
"I'll take blatant advantage of it, but don't expect any sort of payment."
"I'm not the type to ask for payment," Lucius stated. "If anything, I offer most things freely."
"Only if it suits you," Martis retorted, huddling under the cloak and closer to him. His hands may be like ice, but his torso was very, very warm, especially in this cold and damp weather.
"Well, dear Britomartis, you've got me there. I do present myself as shallow - "
"Because you are. You're incredibly good-looking - that's about the only thing that really impresses me. Your rants about influence, power, wealth, and Pureblood inbreeding bores me to tears."
Lucius smirked. "At least I score one point in your favor."
"Only when you're not hanging around Narcissa - half the time I hope that it's her in the showers when she comes in clothed; very hard to tell the difference between you two."
"I'll ignore that." His arm drew around her shoulder under the cloak. "You're an exasperating girl."
"You're a complete and total smeghead. Hands off."
His fingertips caressed her throat, tracing up to the outline of her earlobe. "You're not stopping me," he whispered.
"Give me a minute... " she breathed as his fingertips grazed along her jaw line.
Martis tried to focus, but the touch - the intent - awoke things in her she was not aware of, especially that tightening in her stomach that made her knees go weak and her heart to beat faster and pour blood into her pelvis.
[This is only a physical effect from a physical cause. I should cease the cause, but the physiological response is blurring my thinking...]
Overriding these sporadic thought processes was a small part of her clawing for the attention, the need to be wanted, the want to be desired. He was Awakening her, and she was lost in the tide of feelings from her suddenly hypersensitive skin.
His hand fully cupped her cheek and pressed her face toward his, causing both to stop in their walk. Martis felt her body rack in spasms of tension as Lucius' mouth enclosed over hers, his lips manipulating against her own as his other hand pulled her close against his body. She had to grip his shoulder to keep from falling to the ground due to her legs shaking uncontrollably.
[Oh, Great Mother, I'm allowing Lucius Malfoy to kiss me! Kill me now! PLEASE!]
She was rendered speechless, her body taking over her responses - which were limited to being frozen and allowing him to caress his lips across her cheek and to her ear. A hand wandered up her torso, getting dangerously near her breast.
"Britomartis," he breathed. "I want you. Let me have you - "
"Lucius - "
He brushed his thumb lightly over a highly sensitive part of her chest. "I want to make love to you."
Everything in her being stopped, skipped a heartbeat, and then crashed down like a train through the center of her body.
Her focus had now reached super-sharp clarity.
Martis pulled away from Lucius, finding her sunglasses and slipping them back on. "You can have me if you can carry me off in a Finnish Style Bridal Raid. SMEGHEAD."
She stomped on his instep and dashed the rest of the way to the castle gate and through the courtyard, bypassing the entrance to the dorms, and raced up through the school building and into the Conversation Room. She threw herself on the stone floor and clutched her sides, forcing herself to cry tears that she could not summon.
[Everything's falling apart! Snips is being taken away from me! Lucius just wanted me for his perverted lusts! Narcissa -
[Narcissa put a love spell on Severus! Why else would he have...? GREAT MOTHER!]
----------
Sev began to notice little things about Narcissa he had never noticed before - the way her hair slipped over her shoulders, how her lips were a pink rose-petal color, how the hollow of her neck slipped up her creamy throat...
She was beautiful, exquisite, like a snow queen or an ethereal vision. And the crystal sapphire of her blue eyes was like a sugar frost...
But all that could be overpowered when she breathed, causing her chest to expand, or the fact she smelled good and that he wanted to slowly undress her before...
Gods, what insane ramblings to have in a teahouse!
"What are you thinking?" Narcissa asked.
"How to get you alone," Sev admitted, staring intently into her face. He brushed his hair back over his ears. "You probably think I'm some idiot, but ... I've wanted you the whole evening. I've nothing much to offer you, though."
Narcissa reached across the table and placed her finger on his lips. Sev darted his tongue out and licked her fingertip, keeping his dark eyes to hers.
"Your offer is tempting, Severus," she breathed.
"Will you allow me?" He raised his hand and held her fingers, kissing the palm of her hand. "I promise to give you my full attentions and my willingness to please you."
[Poor Severus ... even Britomartis had not relieved you of your virgin burden, despite the rumors.]
Narcissa leaned over the table, closing her eyes as she licked along his bottom lip, over the upper lip, and then pressing into his mouth as her lips met his.
He moaned against her mouth, holding her face to prolong his First Kiss. Her mouth was incredible, tasting unlike anything he had ever known, as the soft, moist textures of her mouth played against his tongue.
He reluctantly released her ... and briefly wondered how Martis had been replaced by Narcissa.
Oh, yes, he was kissing Narcissa. That's right. Only Narcissa, the one he wanted.
"Tell you what," Narcissa whispered against his lips. "You find us a private place that the Protection Spells won't touch, and we'll start your education tomorrow night."
"I will do so, my love."
----------
A pounding on his private rooms' door had awakened Professor Sejanus Sartoris out of a sound sleep. Grumbling, intending to curse whichever idiot student dared to disturb him, he opened the door to find Britomartis Vox on the other side.
"Severus has been enchanted!" Martis cried before he could open his mouth.
"Beg pardon?" Sartoris asked.
"He's got a spell on him by some trollop! How do we break lust spells?"
"Why are you asking me?" he demanded.
"Because you're the Potions Master! You must have SOME antidote laying around!"
Sartoris sighed. [Not good. Snape's going to plotz when he hears what happened to his son.] "Do you know what type of spell?" he asked aloud.
"Either a love or a lust spell - I'm betting on a lust one."
"Which one in particular?" Sartoris inquired impatiently. "Each spell has its own unique counterspell or antidote - you can't just throw a counterspell at it and it'll be fixed; it either won't work or just exacerbate the problem."
"Then what am I to do?"
"Find out what spell was used - I'm quite sure you can persuade the caster to tell you." He folded his arms. "If you come by my office tomorrow morning, I can give you a crystal that will determine how powerful the enchantment is. It may help to narrow down what type was used."
Martis nodded. "Meanwhile, I need to make sure nothing happens."
"You need to - consummation of such enchantments can either result in extreme hate or eternal bondage to the caster."
"No way. I'll break her pelvis before she gets him." Martis looked up at him. "I'll be at your office before breakfast. Night, sir."
"Good night." Sartoris entered his rooms and closed the door, exhaling loudly. Teenagers were too damned exhausting.
----------
The next morning Martis ran into the Great Hall when it was just an hour before the game and only a few students were studying. She held aloft a large rose quartz in her hand, heading toward the Slytherin tables.
"I'VE GOT IT!" she yelled, rushing up to Sev. "Hold still!"
"What are you doing, Martis?" he demanded, obviously irritated that someone interrupted his study time with Narcissa.
"Seeing what kind of spell peroxide-bitch put you under," she answered, sneering at Narcissa.
"What are you - ?!" Narcissa began to yell.
But the yell was suspended due to the rose quartz - which had been waved over Sev's head - shattering, causing shards of quartz to rain all over those within a five-foot radius.
"What the freak was that for??" Peony Danderfluff asked angrily.
The few Slytherins brushed quartz off their hair and robes, grumbling about Spirals' odd habits as they went back to studying.
At the head table - sharing tea - sat the Heads of House of Gryffindor and Slytherin, whom were turning white at the spectacle of the shattering quartz.
Martis picked up Narcissa by the tie, making the Fifth-Year stare back into her sunglasses. "What kind of lust spell did you put on him, Black?"
Narcissa stared at Martis coldly, gripping the Second-Year girl's wrist. "What makes you think I put any spell on him?"
"Because he is acting completely out of character for himself - he doesn't like you, much less want to do anything with you. And anything intimate scares the Avernus out of him. I know him better than any of you, and you - Narcissa Black - is the last person he wants."
"That's a lie," Sev stated, also grabbing Martis' wrist. "Let go of Narcissa."
"Severus, you've been mind-raped."
"I have not - !"
Martis released Narcissa and turned to him. "If you haven't, why the bloody hell are you trying to stick your tongue down her throat? That isn't you - you haven't even the guts to kiss me and I'm the person you trust the most in your whole life! And yet you're trying to get your rocks off with her, of all people! You've been mind-raped!"
Sev grabbed her tie, forcing her to stare into his dark eyes. "Martis, keep out of this."
"Severus, you're not yourself."
"You can't get in the way this time. I'm going to have her."
"You've never wanted her! The first time I met you, you were calling her a 'dysenteric weasel with a terminal case of hemorrhoids'. And the description was spot on!"
"Things change."
"Not overnight!"
He yanked down on her tie, releasing her. "Forget it. I'm having Narcissa - and you won't stop me. I'm taking her up to the Conversation Room tonight - "
Martis snatched her sunglasses off, her moss green eyes staring hard into his own. "Over - my - dead - body," she seethed. "That's OUR place!"
"Who says?"
"We BOTH said! If you TRY to take her up there, I WILL break your legs!"
"Why?" Sev sneered. "Are you planning on taking Malfoy up there?"
"Hell NO!"
"Then you better explain it to him - here he comes."
Martis turned around - and her whole world suddenly turned upside-down as someone lifted her up by the ankles and draped her over their back, locking her knees over his shoulders.
Martis gazed at Sev, who seemed to be sitting next to Narcissa on the ceiling while students began to get out of their seats, at least until her robe fell in her face.
"WHAT THE AVERNUS IS GOING ON?!?!" she shrieked.
"Finnish-style Bridal Raid, as requested," Lucius' voice answered.
"LET OUR SISTER GO, MALFOY!" the twins and Phaedra ordered.
The commotion turned into an uproar as the Vox sisters leapt over the tables toward Lucius, whom appeared to be kidnapping Martis. The entire Great Hall filled with shouts and cries of either horror or laughter, while McGonagall and Penderdandis tried to calm the few scores of students down.
Seeing the Vox sisters chasing after Lucius, both teachers decided they would deal with the Fifth-Year later.
Unfortunately for Martis, due to being held upside-down on Lucius' back, not only did her robe fall but so did her skirt...
Everyone saw the pink panties.
The Marauders wolf-whistled, which promptly got them swatted by every female Gryffindor around them, along with a few Hufflepuff girls nearest them offering their own punishment to the boys.
Sev turned, saw Lucius running off with Martis, her sisters chasing after them, and the entire Slytherin Quidditch team in hot pursuit.
He got up, but Narcissa clutched his arm. "Where you going, lover?" she purred.
"I - " Sev looked down at her; she licked along her lower lip. He shrugged and sat back down. "None of my business."
Sev did not understand why Evan Ryper and Martis' roommates were shooting dirty looks at him.
----------
"You saw it shatter, Gallo," Minerva McGonagall stated after the students settled down into conversations.
"Indeed I did, Professor McGonagall," Professor Penderdandis answered quietly. "It does worry me."
"Do something about it."
"And how? Start accusing various individuals of practicing the Dark Arts?"
"You know as well as I that lust spells are the equivalent of rape; it's forcing someone to feel and act in ways they never would on their own." McGonagall gazed at him over her rectangular glasses. "We also know that Miss Vox looks out for Mr. Snape like her own - and I've always suspected Miss Black - "
Penderdandis pushed his glasses up on his face. "Minerva, kindly butt out of the affairs of my House."
"I'm only expressing concern - "
"And it is shared, but I know something you don't."
"Which is?"
Penderdandis' mouth fell into a straight line. "My students are perfectly capable of handling it when they set their minds to it. I am positive Miss Vox will rescue Mr. Snape from the enchantment."
"This is beyond the experience of a Second-Year student, Gallo," she reminded him. "Lust spells are near impossible to break without at least Seventh-Year training."
"And any idiot can pick up a book and cast the spell without even their OWL- levels. That's what makes Dark Arts popular - any moron can generate powerful effects without study. Luckily the side-effects kill the real morons."
McGonagall shook her head. "It's a miracle any of your students make it out of Slytherin alive."
Penderdandis smiled grimly. "Some don't. It builds character to face challenges that aren't in textbooks - using one's wits and resourcefulness is all that really matters in the end."
"This is still getting reported to the Headmaster."
"As it should be."
----------