Fanfiction based in the world of Harry Potter, created by JKR. Her characters are hers. Original characters are mine. No pecuniary rewards. Please see first chapter for full disclaimers and description.
Thank you to my Beta, Elaine!
Chapter 28: Reminders
It was not necessary for Severus to go to Lucius for his reminder after the Dementor incident, though he had already made plans to do so on Saturday. To everyone's surprise, Lucius entered Hogwarts School the very day after the event, the picture of perfect composure and yet genuine concern.
The day was starting with a meeting in the staff room—a common occurrence of late. Quite probably due to Delores Umbridge's short tenure last year, Lucius knew the location of the room and entered without knocking. He appeared utterly unsurprised to find the majority of the staff present, and strode inside with graceful confidence.
He was dressed in the finest of dark green silken robes, his perfect blond hair as unruffled as always. When he arrived at the head of the table, he turned directly to Dumbledore and made a very smooth partial bow. The act did not convey any sense of subservience, but did seem to imply respect. Lucius was master of social subtleties, never giving more in deference to another than absolutely necessary for his purpose. He was not above displaying open disdain for the Headmaster when the situation called for it, but he was here for damage control. Polite respect was definitely in order!
"Headmaster Dumbledore," he said, his tones ever so slightly ingratiating. "I came as soon as I heard. I am horrified that something went amiss with the creature I procured for Professor Howard. I came to assure myself that no one was injured in the incident. It is quite disturbing that something like this could happen within this bastion of protection."
"Good morning, Lucius," Albus said just as smoothly, as though he had been expecting Lucius to interrupt their meeting at just this moment. Lucius might be a master player of the game, but Albus knew the moves just as well—and had many years more experience!
"I thought perhaps we would be seeing you soon. I am quite pleased to report that there were no injuries whatsoever, though we did have a moment of concern over Professor Lupin and a young child. We are of course working to determine how the event occurred. Something of this magnitude will not go unanswered."
Dylan, however, was not prepared or schooled in how to 'play the game', and rose to his feet in agitation even as the two consummate diplomats spoke volumes to each other behind polite words.
"I can tell you how it happened, Albus," he said, throwing his repaired hat onto the table as though he was throwing down the gauntlet. He glowered at the elegant blond man angrily. "Luke's as sly as a sidewinder back home. I've gotcha pegged now, Luke, you won't find me as innocent as a wet foal again!"
"Dylan," Albus chided, but Lucius interrupted him.
"Dylan, my dear friend," Lucius said with a carefully practiced 'stricken' look on his face, "I assure you I had no idea of what would happen. We looked at the creature together, did we not? When I brought you the crate?"
He turned again to the Headmaster, "It was nearly impossible to acquire the creature, and I fear I was not as scrupulous in choosing my suppliers as is my wont, in my enthusiasm to aid my friend. We looked at it together, in Hogsmeade, when it arrived. I would not willingly have opened it for the first time here in these hallowed halls. My son and heir is here, not to mention all the other precious gems of our future."
At this point the rest of the present staff was sitting in rigid silence not unlike that which Snape always utilized under pressure. No doubt they all wanted to join Dylan in his outburst! Nearly every face was etched with deep distrust, but they knew that Albus was the best person to handle Lucius in this rather public setting. Severus in particular was watching him closely.
"Yeah, that's right. Opened it right there in the station with me... suggested that I put the stasis charm on the critter. Ya even helped me do it. Now I wonder what'cha did besides the stasis? I reckon you did somethin' else while I was payin' for the freight!" Dylan hissed angrily.
"It's a right sorry world ya'll have made over here, when a man can't even take another man at his word. I thought'cha were my friend, Luke, an honorable man. I think Texas could teach'cha a thing or two about honor," Dylan said bitterly, and then to the surprise of many at the table he sat down sullenly, and crossed his arms.
"Dylan, I am profoundly wounded," said Lucius, regarding Dylan with his hand dramatically placed over his chest. "Surely you do not believe I had anything intentional to do with this tragic incident?"
"Lucius, as it is impossible to tell how the incident occurred, it is difficult for any of us to know whom to believe in the matter," Albus said gently, though his eyes were sharp and piercing as they gazed at the blond wizard.
"I appreciate that you have made the effort to come and investigate the situation yourself. You will of course understand my position when I inform you that all class supplies have now been restricted to a very short list of approved providers. We would not want any further... accidents." The pause before and the emphasis on the last word were very slight, but the implication could not be missed.
Lucius could not currently afford to be quite so blatant in his response as he might have done before. He did raise a brow in displeasure, and nod very slightly. "Once again I see that it is very fortunate that Hogwarts has your rather unique method of running things, Dumbledore. I feel confident in saying that there are few places safer for the children of the wizarding world to be right now than under your watchful eye."
The smile was cool, the gray eyes glittering. He managed to make the "compliment" carry all the chill of a threat.
Before Albus could respond, Severus's deep voice answered with a message of his own... his threat hidden to all but Lucius himself.
"It is well that you believe that, Lucius. Obviously in light of the situation you will be leaving Draco here over the winter holidays... for his own safety, of course." Glittering pitch-black eyes bored into Malfoy's from within an utterly expressionless face.
Lucius Malfoy blinked. His polite smile faltered for an infinitesimal moment before returning undimmed. He nodded slightly to Severus. "Of course."
He then regarded the Headmaster once more with another respectful bow.
"I am glad to hear no one was injured in the event, Headmaster. If I can be of any assistance in your investigation, I am at your disposal, of course. I am also more than prepared to make any pecuniary amends you deem appropriate." The unmistakable clink of money in his pocket accompanied the last declaration.
"That won't be necessary, Lucius," said Dumbledore with a dismissive wave.
"Very well, then," said Lucius smoothly, addressing the room at large. "I will leave you to your meeting, though I think I will have a word with my son before I return to my own business."
"Yes, of course. You will likely still find him in the Slytherin Common room at this hour. Severus, would you accompany Lucius and perhaps allow him the use of your office to speak with Draco privately?" Dumbledore asked.
"Certainly, Headmaster," Severus said, rising fluidly from his seat and accompanying Lucius out the door.
When the door closed behind them, Albus nodded in grim satisfaction. "I believe that situation is in very capable hands. Let's see, I believe we were discussing the issue of food supplies for our added population now..."
The two men were almost exactly of a height with one another. There were few students in the corridors yet, though there was the occasional ambitious early-riser gradually winding his or her way to breakfast. Those who did see these two men, one dark and one fair and yet both sweeping through the passageways with an aura of thinly veiled power, quickly scattered away like frightened mice before hunting cats.
Severus did not lead Lucius to Slytherin's dungeon, but rather took him directly to his own office, sealing the door behind him with a wave of his wand. He then turned on his heel in a swirl of black robes, fixing Lucius with his penetrating glare.
"I suggest you explain your actions at once. Do not take me for the fool, Lucius. Dumbledore clearly believes your silken lies, but as one snake to the next, I do not. We had an arrangement."
"Severus, please. You must understand my position. Your lovely paramour..."
"Tread carefully, Lucius," Severus growled, "The woman is meaningless. She amuses me, nothing more. But she is mine to deal with as I see fit, as we have established. My willingness to protect your heir as we agreed drips away with every careless word."
"Her life is not in danger, Severus, but YOURS is, as is mine if we do not deliver to our Lord what he wishes! You have allowed your 'amusement' to blind you! Bring the chit to the Master. Let him question her and ransom her. She would be useless to Him dead, her survival is not an issue. She would return little-the-worse for wear, and you could continue to be 'amused' by her.
"Your refusal to do so leaves you in very dangerous territory, my old friend," he continued, the threat plain in his voice. "You have no idea how much our Master now hides from you. You are rapidly falling out of favor; his distrust of you grows with each passing day. I am trying to help you. I told Him that you were a willing participant in this capture, which could have gone far in restoring you to his graces. Now he will hear from Nott's son that you were among those rescuing the woman, and his displeasure will be great indeed."
"Do not do me any favors, Lucius. I am well able to manage my affairs without your meddling! You may have succeeded in your attempt, thereby improving my image with our Lord, but at what cost? I was there, on the grounds with dozens of Albus's most favored students and the Defense Professor. Had I not acted, I would have immediately been suspect as an accomplice."
"Ah, yes, but we had planned for that," Lucius interrupted with suspicion etched on his face, "You should have been able to make all the ineffectual attempts at protection of the woman to keep up appearances... and failed without any need for deceit. Since when have you been able to produce a Patronus, Severus?"
Silence rang through the room after this question.
"I have not attempted the charm for many years, Lucius, as well you know," he said dryly. "It is was as much a surprise to me as to you that it was successful in this instance."
Lucius gave a sad, insincere smile and shook his head, "What an inopportune moment for the talent to display itself. We will now have to come up with a different plan for our Lord to speak with the Lupin woman. I suppose it is as well. Dementors are not intelligent enough to understand complex directions. Their instructions were to retrieve her and get her back to the gate at any cost. I understand she had her pet child with her—no doubt the child would have been lost in the confusion."
A knock on the door put an end to the conversation, and when Severus waved his wand to open it, Draco stepped inside, followed by Rowena.
"He came to the Great Hall for breakfast," she explained somewhat apologetically, "and I thought perhaps you had missed each other in the corridors. I knew Lucius wanted to see him, so I brought him down. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting..."
"No, not at all, Rowena," Lucius said warmly, "Thank you so much for your consideration. I was just inviting Severus to our Holiday dinner party. My dear Narcissa holds one every Christmas, and we have long missed Severus's company there. Of course we would not dream of inviting him without including you, and I have little hope of convincing him to attend. He greatly dislikes these sorts of things.
"Many of the parents of Hogwarts Students will be there, of course, and would be delighted for a chance to speak with two of their children's Professors in a less formal setting. May I bring home to my lovely wife the happy news that you will be there?"
Rowena tried to hide her shock and confusion at being rather pounced upon by Lucius. The well practiced charm he had cultivated for years did not fail him, and even as she was not fooled by it, she was also not unaffected! She glanced questioningly at Severus, but his face was expressionless as he kept his gaze on Lucius. Surely if he wanted her to refuse, he would give her some sign?
"I'm not much accustomed to those sorts of parties myself, Lucius," she said evasively, "but if Severus wishes to attend, I would of course be pleased to accompany him. I thank you for the invitation."
"Not at all, the pleasure is mine at the thought that you might grace our home with your company once again," Lucius said with slick insincerity.
"My mother's dinner parties are always grand," said Draco with a smirk.
"Draco, your father has decided that it is in your best interest for you to remain here at Hogwarts for the holiday," Severus at last broke in, his eyes still not leaving Lucius.
Draco's face at once twisted into shocked anger, so that he looked like nothing so much as a spoiled child in the verge of a tantrum, "What? I never miss Mum's parties!" he exclaimed as he turned to look questioningly at his father.
"In light of the situation, Draco, Severus is quite right. It is very dangerous outside of Hogwarts right now, and I wish you to be safe," Lucius said with a tone of firm command in his voice that clearly said he would brook no argument in the matter.
He also raised a brow slightly and tilted his head ever so slightly in Rowena's direction. She might have missed the gesture and its implications, had not Draco looked at her with dawning comprehension and immediately become complacent.
"Very well, father," he said with no further argument.
"So you will attend?" Lucius now turned back to Severus. His face was a mask of polite inquiry, and Severus's was utterly implacable, but Rowena had the feeling that they spoke volumes between them in the silence.
"We will attend," Severus said at last, with a slight inclination of his head.
"Splendid! Narcissa will be pleased. You will receive the official invitation through the post with the details, of course.
"Come Draco, I'm sure the Professors need to prepare for their classes," he said, and father and son swept from the room.
"What was that all about?" Rowena asked in confusion when the door had closed behind them.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose between two thin fingers and growled at her, "You are now expected to attend what is little short of a Death Eater gala, Rowena! It will NOT be pleasant. We will discuss it later. Right now I have a classroom full of eejits awaiting my presence."
They retired to their personal quarters earlier than usual that night. Severus stood near the fire, absently toying with small trinkets she had on the mantle. Rowena changed into a soft, flowing nightgown and robe and curled in the closest chair with her feet tucked under her.
"My loyalty to the Dark Lord is coming under some scrutiny," he said wryly. If that wasn't a drastic understatement!
"When we attend Narcissa's party, we will be surrounded by Death Eaters. We were at the Summer Fete as well, of course, but this will be more serious. I will be watched closely, and expected to display proof of my loyalty if the situation arises. You can rest assured that the situation WILL arise."
"Alright," Rowena said calmly, "So what is it that I supposedly believe?"
"Alright..." Severus mimicked her sarcastically with a shake of his head, "Say that again after the event is over, wife. No doubt you will get to see some small display of the evil your husband is capable of in all its glory. You supposedly believe what you believe—that I am utterly loyal to Dumbledore and playing the Dark Lord and all his followers for a fool.
"You will naturally react accordingly when I 'prove' otherwise. It is assumed without question that I will Obliviate anything that you ought not recall. If I pass the test, of course.
"If I do not pass the test... there will be unpleasantness. It is very possible that you will need your Portkey to get out."
Rowena simply stared at him in shock, the weight of his words slowly sinking in. "You destroyed all your Dark Magic books and spells," she said feebly.
"Rowena, the destruction of the symbol does not mean that I am incapable of the magic!" he said harshly. Obviously she needed reminding of what he was, what he was capable of just as Lucius had.
"It is still necessary on a fairly routine basis that I prove myself loyal. I've explained this to you before! I am kept out of the most severe games—the torture and murder of muggles for example—because the Dark Lord fears that Albus would find out about it and my cover would be blown, my usefulness as a spy destroyed. But he is not above expecting certain performances of me—either my complacent tolerance of vile acts or even my participation among the Death Eater circle.
"Albus knows I still use Dark Magic... when I must. It is a necessary evil of this ruse that we both accepted long ago. It is very likely that you will be forced to witness it at the Malfoys.
"I would not willingly put you in such a situation, but I have little choice. If we succeed in the deception, they will stop attempting to specifically target you, and I will be useful again as a spy.
"I must attend this event, whether you accompany me or not, because Claire Lestrange is very ill, and I must 'tend' to her. This is a convenient opportunity to do so. If I were to attend without you, it would be even more suspicious and add to your danger in the long run.
"My only guarantee of your safety is that you are currently wanted by the Dark Lord for information, which means all of his Death Eaters have been forbidden to harm you for the time being. It is not much of a guarantee. They have been known to act against his wishes on many occasions. I also do not believe that they will try to abscond with you there. Some story of the more intense activities always manages to leak to the press. No one wants the crime of kidnapping a Hogwarts Professor to be linked with the powerful name of Malfoy."
"And I have Draco here as my own personal ransom for your safety," he thought to himself.
"Severus... come sit down," she said at last, watching him worriedly. To her surprise he did sit in the center of the couch, staring intensely into the flames of the fire. "What bothers you more, that I will be in danger along with you, or that I might see you as a Death Eater?"
His eyes shot to her face so quickly that she knew she had touched pretty close to the truth. Somehow he still didn't trust her acceptance of him!
She stood fluidly and moved over to him. In a quick, graceful movement, she pulled her nightgown up enough to allow her to straddle his lap and sat upon it, laying her hands on his shoulders to twine in his hair.
"We'll get through this, Severus. And I won't think less of you afterward. You have to do what you have to do! If Dumbledore knows and accepts that, should you expect any less from your wife who adores you?"
Leaning forward she kissed him gently, but he turned away from the kiss and glared at her.
"You have no idea what I am capable of, Rowena. Do not speak of acceptance until after you have been forced to witness it with your own eyes."
She abandoned her attempts to claim his mouth and instead found the sensitive space behind his ear and nibbled lightly. This was rewarded with a slight hitch in his breathing.
"Don't you know dangerous men are incredibly sexy?" she teased, trying to distract him from his dark thoughts. It was not that she was not afraid—she was! But she felt as prepared as she could be in light of the situation, and was not willing to feed into Severus's brooding concern by adding her own fear to his. No doubt that would come later!
"Sexy!" he snorted with a brow raised incredulously.
"Mmmm," she mumbled against his neck, suckling gently on the skin there, careful not to leave a mark where the students might see, "Very sexy. It's that 'bad boy' image. And YOU, Severus... you have this whole aura of rigidly controlled power. You are so cool and aloof, which is just so... mmm... delicious. I always envied the lucky person who might get past that chill to the unleashed passion underneath."
She was slowly undoing buttons of his coat as she spoke, punctuating her words with kisses on newly exposed skin. She had never yet played the role of 'aggressor' in their intimacy, but she was thrilling in it now.
He smirked and deliberately forced his breathing into steady control, even as evidence of his interest now pressed against her where she straddled his lap. "I suppose you think YOU are the one who can make me lose control?"
"I have no idea," she teased, "but I think it will be rather fun to find out..."
"I am at your disposal."
Instead of wrapping his arms around her, or indeed participating in any way, he draped his arms across the back of the couch, slumping down slightly in the seat so that his head could lean comfortably back against the cushions.
His apparent capitulation and attempts at passive resistance did not at all diminish Rowena's ardor. Instead, it was heightened by the incredibly powerful sense of control it gave her!
She immersed herself completely in sensations and his responses. His ears were sensitive, sharp bites there elicited subtle changes in his breathing. He cooperated enough to allow her to remove his arms from the sleeves of his robes, so that he was naked to the waist before her searching, caressing hands and tasting mouth.
Her tongue left a wet trail down his chest as she slid off his lap to her knees on the floor before him. She kissed and bit at the soft pale skin above his trousers, her tongue caressing over any sting her teeth might have left behind. He still made no sound, but he could no longer control the rate of his breathing as she nuzzled against the tented bulge of the trousers. Her hands made short work of the fastenings there, so that she quickly had them undone. He cooperated again in lifting his hips slightly off the couch so that she could pull pants and trousers off in one smooth motion.
He was glorious to behold. His head still leaned back against the couch as he attempted to feign indifference to the proceedings, but his body betrayed his true desire. His fair skin was given a warm glow by the gentle light of the fire that suited him well.
Delicate caresses of her small hands danced over his legs and inner thighs, never quite touching the rigid flesh that seemed to throb in silent supplication for attention. Her mouth soon followed her teasing hands and at last answered the silent plea.
She felt powerful, sexy, and utterly wanton. His control was weakening, his breath catching with a small sound in his throat when she touched him. When the soft groan and change in his breathing indicated approaching completion... she pulled away, thrilling wickedly at his hiss of disappointment.
She stood in front of him and smiled slyly at the smoldering look in his eyes. Teasingly she undressed before him, allowing time for him to regain some semblance of control of his need. She unwound her hair from its confining braid so that she stood naked before him clothed in nothing but the silken tresses. She again straddled his legs. The sense of abandon she had; the power he had given her in this instance was thrilling and she reveled in it.
Even this she did slowly, maddeningly so. The sensation was exquisite! The slow pace allowed her to control their ascent completely. Her hands rested on his shoulders, helping to balance and support her as she rode him. She sought his mouth hungrily and he kissed her back with passion that was almost angry.
At some point she had stopped trying to seduce him to a loss of control. Her own need now consumed her so that she was mewling softly against his lips... so close... so close... She wanted to be touched... needed to be touched...
His hands had balled into fists against the fabric of the couch as though to prevent himself from touching her. But now his head did not lean back passively, but forward as he stared at her, his chest heaving from the force of his own arousal.
"Is it your intention to drive me mad?" he hissed at last, each word forced out between ragged breaths.
"Oh yes!" she cried aloud as the tightening sensation of her impending release washed over her.
"Be careful what you wish for!" he growled as his control snapped. He grabbed her hips and took back some of the control he had given her. She wrapped her arms around him as she cried out his name in sobs of pleasure. He buried his face into her hair, biting the flesh of her collarbone as his groans of uninhibited passion following hard on the heel of hers.
She slumped against his chest dazedly, listening to the rapid beating of his heart that seemed to match her own. Eventually she found her voice once again.
"Apparently I can make you lose control," she teased gently.
He made a small derisive sound in his throat, though his hands caressing her back belied any true distaste, "So it would seem," he said dryly.
A/N: As always, thank you to my beta Elaine. I must also thank "my beta's beta" as Elaine's hubby helped me overcome a serious hurdle I was wrestling with—Thank you!
The lemon is self-censored by me to meet FFN guidelines. If you would like the link to the site hosting the uncensored version, please email me with 'lemon' in the subject. I am in the process of seeking a new site to post these 'lemons', as it appears my current provider is on the verge of closing.
I am currently housing my uncensored 'lemons' in a viewable-to-friends-only entry in my 'live journal'. If you are a member of LiveJournal, my 'handle' there is "weasleyfan".
Next chapter we will be at the Malfoys once again. It will not be pleasant, not at all like the fete. We will see Tonks and see that slightly scary dark side of Severus. It's proving to be a bit tricky for me to work it out how I want, so please bear with me if it is a little longer to my next update, rather than once a week like I am trying to maintain.
Your reviews mean a great deal to me, thank you!