Chapter Seven: More Questions Than Answers
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter Universe; that honor belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I thank them for the inspiration, however. Also, this story contains sexual and other adult themes, hence the M rating.
They journeyed across Diagon Alley towards the infamous inn and pub. He stopped suddenly, however, and Ophelia crashed into him from behind. He grasped her and pulled her into the shadows of a side street. Alarms blared in his head. "Someone has entered your cottage."
The girl's lovely eyes grew larger, and she placed one hand on the satchel at her side, and the other drew her wand. His eyes darted between her and back towards the bustle of the Alley as he considered their options. He knew of one place that they would be safe temporarily and would have access to material they may need to accomplish their task. "Come." His voice was deep and commanding. They moved back in to the Alley with her hand still in his.
He swiftly guided them into Flourish and Blotts and headed directly towards the fireplace. He grabbed a handful of floo powder from the bucket next to the hearth. "Follow behind." She nodded as he tossed the powder into the flames. "Spinner's End." He stepped into the flames and felt the familiar swirling sensation envelope him.
He stepped out of the fireplace, wand drawn. Fortunately nothing was amiss among the stacks of books in his sitting room. He then politely assisted Ophelia from the fireplace as he lowered his wand. He silently stared as she glanced slowly around the unkempt room, wondering what she was thinking. He allowed very few people into his house.
"Where are we?"
"This is my home. It is well protected. We should be safe for now." He continued to observe the witch as she tentatively moved about the room, taking it all in, fingertips brushing against the dark book spines. His eyes came to rest on the satchel at her side.
Ophelia caught his eye and gave the satchel a gentle pat. "I guess now is as good a time as any. Shall we begin?"
Snape felt his pulse quicken at the thought of being able to get a glance at the mysterious notes of the Dark Lord. He anxiously moved towards the desk that sat in the corner of the room and cleared a work space.
She set the satchel on the desk and he watched curiously as she opened the bag to reveal what appeared to be nothing more than any typical Hogwarts student would carry. She had potion vials, parchment, quills, and ink. There was also an assortment of dried herbs, a knitted scarf in Hufflepuff colors, and also a wallet. Then she meticulously placed her palm against the swirled design on the front of the satchel which resulted in the opening of another pocket along the inner edge of the enchanted bag. She reached down and pulled out a stack of parchment bound by a leather folder adorned with the Dark Mark. A quick moment of confusion flashed in her bright eyes.
Snape reached out to take the notebook from her but was taken aback when she slapped his eager hand away. He glared at her.
"I thought we had agreed…" She glared back at him.
"If I cannot see the notes, Miss Dyson, I do not believe I can be of much assistance to you." He tone was bitter.
"Yes, Professor, you can. You already possess great knowledge and experience. You will guide me."
He did not like the sound of this plan in the least. He made that apparent in his tone as he said, "Miss Dyson, in the interest of time, I suggest you just hand them over."
"No," her eyes were deep with challenge as she watched him. "With all due respect, you should not be tempted in such a way, Sir. I have no desire to use anything written within these pages, but I do not believe that you can say the same."
She was correct, of course. He would be tempted by the powers in those pages, but no more than he was tempted now to just rip the book from her hands. He clenched his fists tightly. Her stubbornness would likely be their downfall. "I would not be so confident in your own abilities to resist. The dark arts have overtaken many a pure of heart in the past."
She did not respond but placed the folder on the desk. Her fingers traced the marking on the cover. He watched intently, looking away momentarily to glance at the faded mark on his forearm. She then flipped open the cover to reveal a blank piece of parchment. She placed her palm against the paper and whispered.
Nothing happened. She then took her wand from her robes and waved it over gracefully above the page and repeated her whispered spell with a bit more force. Again nothing happened.
"I do not understand…" She chewed her lower lip in thought as Snape continued watching in silence. "This worked before…" She looked up at him. His mind was blank, filled only with anticipation. She waved her wand again. "Specialis Revealo!"
Suddenly, the witch became rigid, her eyes locked on the page, her wand stiffly in place. Snape grasped her shoulder. She felt icy cold to the touch. Then words began to appear on the page beneath her wand. He gasped as he read:
The Dark Lord has fallen. A successor to his throne has been chosen. May these pages serve you well.
Ophelia gasped and shuddered under his grip as the ink disappeared from the page.
"Miss Dyson, are you alright?!" Snape knelt beside her and looked up into her face. She looked ill. Her fair skin was sickly pale and her usually bright eyes were faded. It was as though she had just witnessed something terrible.
She blinked slowly several times as her eyes seemed to finally focus on his features. "That was interesting…" she whispered.
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She felt ill, but the feeling was fading. Snape was staring at her with a strange look on his face that she interpreted as concern. She was unsure what had just happened to her.
"What do you mean, Miss Dyson? What occurred last time you read these?" He made no attempt to hide his concern in his voice.
She shrugged. "Nothing happened. It was all rather uneventful. I just revealed the invisible ink and read the entries." She still felt strange, but she could not describe the sensation further.
She turned her attention back to the notebook on the desk. Her fingers flipped through the pages. Everything was different. The entries were now neat and organized instead of the random assortment of passages added by various authors in a haphazard fashion. The penmanship matched throughout the book and there appeared to be new information as well. Ophelia also sensed a new dark presence emanating from the book.
Ophelia swallowed hard. "I think the fall of the Dark Lord may have somehow activated new magic within the book. This is the not the same book I read before…"
Snape nodded. "Then we must be extra cautious now." He touched her shoulder again, and she smiled slightly, grateful for his touch. "Are you sure you are alright?"
"Is that small talk or a subjective inquiry about my health status, Professor?" She teased. "I am fine, but I sense the notes will be more difficult to destroy now. I should have completed the task sooner." She shivered as she glanced around the room. She could not shake an eerie sense that someone else was there. She noticed the professor's eyes followed her own, as he rubbed the dark mark on his arm. "You feel it too?"
He nodded. "Perhaps it is best to put the book away for now. I think some additional research and planning is in order."
Ophelia quickly closed the pages and tucked the notebook back into her satchel and watched the hidden pouch seal itself. She let out a long relieved sigh. "I do not believe the answers we need are in those pages anyway." She motioned to the satchel. "We'd have better luck finding what we need in one of those." Her hand waved to the many books piled on the multiple shelves in the room.
"Actually, Miss Dyson, you may be correct." He stood up then and his fingers grazed over the bindings of the books on a shelf across the room. "But perhaps not in the way you may think…"
His eyes were glinting as Ophelia stood to join him. He pulled a heavy, dusty volume from its home. His pale hand brushed across the cover as she watched; Rare Abilities in the Wizarding World. He looked at her with a quick half-smile. Then he flipped through the pages stopping midway through the book. He handed the text to her as she read:
"Hecatius Acceptum is a rare, often hereditary, ability to detect the 'essence' of magic. Individuals possessing this ability have an innate capacity to feel magic in all its forms. When properly trained, the ability will allow the individual not only to sense the presence of magic but to know the intention of the magic as well as its caster. Because magic is intimately intertwined with the character, emotions, and experiences of any witch or wizard, a well trained possessor of H.A. can also perceive these assets in those they choose to 'read.' Reports even exist of instances where possessors of H.A. were capable of twisting the intentions of spells cast by others. In this sense, the ability is often feared as there is no defense known against it and no way of knowing who possesses the ability. Because H.A. is extremely rare, little is known about how those possessing it are able to hone the ability, but it is believed that the training process is similar to that of Legilemency."
Ophelia glanced up at Snape. "You think this is the key to understanding how to destroy the notes?"
He nodded.
"You can train me then, yes?" She implored him desperately with her eyes.
He did not respond at first, and she could sense his apprehension. "Trust me, please?" She touched his arm, and their eyes met. He turned away from her to stare into the empty fireplace, and she watched him silently. As she watched she felt a chill wash over her followed by a strange uneasiness. She hugged herself for warmth as she glanced about the room suspiciously. She felt as though someone was watching them, but nothing appeared amiss.
Snape looked at her and then pointed his wand into the fireplace and whispered under his breath. The flames flickered to life and the room quickly filled with warmth. He approached her. "I trust you, Ophelia, but it will be a very compromising position, and I am not sure how much temptation I will be able to endure."
She smiled softly. It had been the first time he had spoken her given name to her. She was beginning to wonder if he even knew it. She touched his arm again. "Take time to think about it then." She paused. "I am very sorry to have involved you in all of this. It is very unfair. You have been fighting this long enough…" To her surprise, he pulled her close and wrapped her in his arms.
"I know nothing else…" Snape said softly, almost inaudibly. Ophelia could feel his emotion washing over her, and she closed her eyes drinking it in. She had not felt this from Snape before. She wondered if he was revealing himself to her willingly or if she had already began gaining some new control over her ability.
"Thank you," she whispered as she wrapped her own arms around his frame. She closed her eyes again and drank in his energy, but she still could not shake that unsettling feeling of being watched.
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Snape pulled away from the young witch almost suddenly. He would not let himself become attached. He must focus on the task at hand. They could not afford such distractions.
Ophelia stared at him with an eyebrow raised. Gods, she is lovely, he thought and then tried to focus on something else as he felt a familiar tingling working its way through his body.
"I will teach you what I can," he declared suddenly as he stared blankly into the bookcase. It seemed to be their best option for success, and the risks of her getting too close would be worth the benefits of ending the existence of the notes.
"Wonderful!" Ophelia exclaimed with a smile. "When can we start?"
"We will officially begin in the morning. Tonight you will read this." He managed to use the tone of the dreaded Potions Professor that he had somehow dropped over the past few days. He pulled another book from the shelf. It was a rare and outlawed text on Legilemency. This book would contain all the theory his pupil would need to begin her training as well as information regarding defense against Legilemency. Hopefully she would never need such information, but if the temptation ever overcame him, she very well may need to employ such skills. "Read all of it."
She took the book with a groan reminiscent of every Hogwarts student he had ever encountered. "Homework? You aren't going to try to assign me an essay as well are you?" She laughed as she made herself comfortable on a nearby chair and opened the book.
He nodded his approval and left the sitting room as he could no longer handle the satchel containing all the Dark Lord's secrets just sitting on his desk, begging him to explore it. He entered the kitchen. "Edlyn," he called out.
Eventually the house elf appeared before him with a "pop" and bowed. "Yes, Master Snape?"
"I need some supplies as well as some dinner," he stated coldly as he reached for some parchment sitting on the kitchen table. He quickly scribbled down a list of potion supplies and handed to the elf whom disappeared as quickly as she had come.
He then headed to the pantry, pulling out his wand from his robes. He whispered under his breath to unward to the door. He then swung open the door to reveal a shelf full of potions. These would be perfect for their first lesson. He could delay the inevitable a bit longer. He grabbed several of the vials and closed the door.
Snape sighed. He should have never agreed to this. It would only lead to disaster.
The remainder of the evening was uneventful. Ophelia studies intensely as Snape searched his vast library for ideas on how to rid the world of the Dark Lord's final threat. Deep down, the thought of having the final stand against Lord Voldemort please him, but having to relinquish such great power to do so was sickening to say the least.
Edlyn served them dinner and tea in the sitting room. They ate in silence, engrossed in their individual tasks, but occasionally their eyes would meet as they stole glances at one another.
Snape jumped when he felt her gentle touch on his shoulder but then turned the desk chair to face her. She smiled wickedly as she swung a leg over him to straddle his thighs. He watched the enticing witch keenly as he placed his hands on her thighs and massaged gently.
Ophelia began unbuttoning her purple robes. Soon after they lay in a heap on the floor behind her, and she began working on his dark buttons. Once she added his robes to her own she ran her fingers through his hair and smashed her lips into his.
Her scent filled his nostrils as he pulled her close. Their tongues danced as he ran his hands down the curves of her spine, onto her buttocks, down her thighs, across her abdomen, and finally came to rest on the soft flesh of her perfect breasts. She moaned against his lips and pulled away to discard the silky camisole covering her body and the undershirt covering his own.
Snape returned his hands to her breasts and teased her nipples as they kissed again. She squirmed against him which provided fuel for his building fire. He smiled as he felt her hands moving down his chest, across his abdomen, and disappearing inside his boxers. Merlin, her touch is marvelous.
The passionate pair continued their mutual ministrations to each other's bodies until they could handle it no further. Snape stood up suddenly and pulled Ophelia's leggings and panties to the floor is one swift movement. "I must have you now," he growled as he freed himself from his boxers. The witch giggled as he bent her forward over his desk. His hands dragged from her shoulders to her buttocks and the he kissed her neck softly as he brought himself in position to enter her.
He pressed forward with a fulfilling grunt, and she pressed back against him. He then reached around her petite frame searching for her clit as he continued his forceful thrusts. Her passionate sounds of pleasure filled his ears and he took in their combined scent with deep breaths. His lips continued to caress her neck, shoulders, and back as she grasped the edge of the desk for support. He could feel the hot perspiration forming between their bodies as he grabbed her hips and increased his pace. The site of the beautiful, young witch bent over his desk was unbelievable.
He felt his impending climax but tried to hold back. When his lover cried out, "Oh Gods, Professor, I'm seeing stars!" and let out one of her orgasmic squeals, he could not hold back any longer. He groaned loudly and gave one final thrust as her body shuttered beneath him. He gave her shoulder another gentle kiss as he felt his body empty. Then he collapsed weakly on to her panting form.
"Mmmm, wonderful as always," she whispered and then squirmed beneath him trying to free herself from his weight.
Reluctantly he pulled away from her. "We best retire to the bedroom. We have another trying day ahead of us."
"Of course," she said as she pulled her robes over her naked form. He did the same and then led her up the stairs to his bedroom.
The room was fairly commonplace. There was a simple wooden bureau in the corner and a large four-post bed in the center. A grey rug covered the old wooden floor.
Ophelia slipped off her robe and approached the bed. "You have green silk bed sheets?!" Her amusement was clear in her tone. "You must have been miserable in my old cotton sheets."
Snape grabbed his lover around the waist. "I hardly had time to notice." He gave her one of his classic, fleeting half-smiles, and she laughed as they climbed in to bed together. He took another long drag of her sweet scent as she curled her body against him. He fell asleep with visions of their latest escapade still in his head.
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A/N: Have you figured out where this is going? Does that make you want to keep reading? What can I do to further peak your interests?