Disclaimer: Not mine
The Uninvited
Chapter 20
Severus and the Hogwarts elf popped into the Reyes kitchen at 7:01pm. The elf looked up at Severus, his long ears flattened against his head, nervously stepping back to the wall. Severus pointed to a cupboard next to the sink seeing his terror.
"If you want hide, try there," he stated flatly, as he looked around and felt the same presence of old magic that he was sure the elf wanted to hide from.
He saw the faint glow of firelight coming from the hallway and headed towards it as he heard the cupboard door softly close. Entering the room that emitted the light he stood in the doorway watching the witch. She had on the same clothes that she had worn yesterday. He suspected that she had not eaten, nor moved from the same spot since arriving.
The room she was in, as with the rest of the place, was dark and dank. Dust coated the surfaces of the tables and mantel, the furniture old and threadbare. This place had not been cleaned or aired out in ages leaving the entire place smelling of evil and rotting wood.
"I did not invite you here. Leave," Abigail said, her voice biting through the coldness.
"If I do not?" he sneered.
'Then I shall make you." She did not turn from the fire.
"How shall you do that?" he stepped closer.
"I shall kill you Severus. After all, look where you are. Who would know?" She began laughing then stopped and closed her eyes.
"Abigail, turn around, look at me," he demanded. "It is considered bad form not to look at your opponent."
"You are not my opponent, Severus. But if you stay here, you will die."
"By your hand?" he questioned coldly, reaching for his wand.
"I will not cast the spell, if that is what you are asking. Can you not hear and feel this place?" She turned to him lifting her eyebrow and sneering. "Can you not hear the very soul of the house calling?"
"No," he answered coming closer. "What does it tell you Abigail, what does it tell you to do?"
"It tells me I am damned, I am dead. I only wanted to belong somewhere. I thought I could, but I know better now. You have taught me that lesson well. I belong here. This," she paused looking around the room and waving her hand at it, "is all I can ever be. This is where I belong."
"No, Abigail you do not," he scowled.
"Oh but I do Severus, I always have," she sighed and returned to gaze in the fire.
"Tell me what you want."
"I want you to pretend for me," she sighed wistfully.
"Pretend?"
"Pretend to love me. For just one night, pretend." She closed her eyes and leaned forward wrapping her arms around her knees. "I used to listen to my Mum and the stories she told of life outside here. She used to tell me about princesses and the handsome knights that would save them from the tower where the wicked wizard locked them up. I knew then they were just stories, just something to make the dark not so black, but now… since I have been out of here… I so want it to be true. I want to think that people can love each other without hurting them. The Weasleys have that you know."
"Abigail, come back with me."
"No, and if you force me I will just leave again. This is my home," she turned enough to see him over her shoulder. "Am I that repulsive that just for now you couldn't pretend? You asked what I wanted, and this is it."
"I do not pretend," he spoke quietly, his answer an admission.
"Gods, Please Severus. Just for one night, even for one hour, just let me pretend that you could love me, that you would want me. That anyone could want me. I need it so much, its all I've ever wanted."
He walked over to her, and dropping to his knees, he gathered her up in his arms and kissed her. As she began to talk, he covered her mouth with his lips again, swallowed her words, his hands hard on her back, pulling her to him. He felt lost, and afraid, knowing his control was gone.
His erection strained against trousers. He felt her hand slide down his stomach, over his belt and lower as she kissed his eyes, his cheeks, and his neck. Bringing her lips to his ear, she whispered a plea."Pretend, please Severus," she begged, her tears wetting his throat. "Just for a little while, pretend."
His mouth found hers, his hands wrapped in her hair. He pushed her down onto her back on the floor. He took his wand and rid her of her clothes, and then himself. He wanted her, he wanted to be in her, and he knew nothing else. Hers was the face he had seen as he masturbated in his shower, imagining her to be his. Now he could smell her arousal, feel her wetness and taste her. She was not a dream to have in his sleep. She was here.
He lifted his eyes to her face as he nipped and kissed her breasts, and then moved lower. He tasted her and revelled in her submission to him. Sliding his finger into her, he felt her tighten, felt her reach for him, saw her head push back, and as the first spasm gripped her, he knew it took her to a place he could not go.
Her very climax drew him in eagerly as he quickly positioned himself and thrust into her, his head thrown back at the feel of her pulsing around him. He had never taken a woman this way, while her climax was on her and he knew pleasure he had not felt, not dreamed of before. He heard her call to him, through a fog. He went to her, leaning down and kissing away the last sweet pain that was her release.
"I love you," fell from his lips unknown to him, heard not even by the witch that cried and clung to him in desperation. He took three more strokes and watched as she again threw her head back, arched her body to his and claimed her second release as he poured his first into her.
He continued to push into her, his member spent, still he sought to fill her, not to let go, to be with her longer. As he slipped out of her, he clung to her, pulling her up and onto his chest. Not willing to release her, he buried his face in her hair.
She hung on to him as if he were her lifeline, resting her head on his chest and closed her eyes as she cried silently.
"Please, Severus, hold me, just hold me now," she cried into him. "Hold me before you go."
He held her, rocking her body before the fire, knowing that when the first rays of sun hit the window he would leave. He would leave her sleeping in this hellish place. He would return to Albus, and the Dark Lord. She would return to her darkness, and her own hell.
He took her again before the dawn came. This time his movements were slow and languid. No hard thrusts, no clenching of hair, only a slow tender dance. Neither cried out, as they came together, no gasps of surprise, only the wrapping of limbs, their acceptance and melding of two people who knew each other's needs and how to fulfil them. She looked up at him when they both lay spent and placed her hand on his cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered as her hand slipped lightly around his neck and she pulled his mouth down to hers. She felt him deepen the kiss and turned her head away, closing her eyes and rolling to her side.
He sat up with her all night, until she fell asleep and beyond. When the sky was turning light, he laid her down, covering her nakedness with his robes then he dressed and left for the kitchen.
"We leave, now," he said, tapping on the cupboard door.
The elf peeked out, and then stepped fully into the kitchen, took Severus hand in his and spun them back to Hogwarts.
They arrived back in Severus' chambers where Severus went immediately to his liquor cabinet.
"What is your name? I can not continue to call you elf," Severus spat to the creature as he poured his whiskey.
"Lenny Benjamin David Wilhelm Gerald Paul Thomas, Sirs." he said proudly.
"Who?" Severus said smirking. "I thought elves had short silly names."
"My mother named me for her good masters sir," he puffed his chest up.
"Why so many, was she sold?" Severus knew very little about House elves. He was interested in this diversion to take his mind off her.
"No, Sir Professor. The war took them sirs, it was the war," he said sadly.
"Fine," Severus sighed, "I will call you Lenny. Miss Haley will have need of food. I will count on you to take her three meals a day."
"Yes sirs, only three?" Lenny asked.
"Yes, and of course tea, at 2:00 pm and 9:00pm. I want to know if she does not eat." Severus finished knocking down his drink. "I want you to watch her, see to her needs."
"Lenny will care for your witch Professor Sirs." Lenny looked sadly at Severus.
"She is not my witch!" Severus spat, and turned to pour another bottle.
"Sirs, I will take the witch that is not yours her breakfast now," Lenny said and left with a pop.
Severus sighed, and once again walked the halls to the Headmaster's Office. He did not want this conversation. Albus wanted her back in Hogwarts, and he had failed to bring her.
"Good Morning, Severus." Albus was again waiting with two cups of steaming tea. "I take it all went well?"
"I was able to enter the Reyes Estate without harm if that is you question." Severus crossed the room and took up his cup of tea. "The elf is taking her breakfast."
"Why does she not join us the Great Hall, Severus?" The Headmasters voice became firmer. "Perhaps, there is something you failed to tell me?"
"She did not opt to come back with me."
"I am sure you ascertained the reason."
"No Sir, I did not. She did not seem interested in conversation, only in certain more carnal activities," he said meaningfully. He was angry; he wanted to strike someone, to hurt. He knew his words would anger the Headmaster.
"Severus, she is my Great Grandniece, I will not have you speak of her in such a common way." Albus peered over his glasses frowning.
"Then we best not speak of this Albus, because last night she was quite common." He knew his words rang false. He could still remember her quiet sigh of completion when he had taken her slowly, lovingly. He wanted to hurt Albus, to rid himself of feelings that tied him to the old man.
"Professor Snape, I would suggest that you return to your chambers. We are done here." Albus rose from his chair showing his temper.
Without responding, Severus bowed graciously, and left the chambers. He almost ran to his rooms. He had not felt so alone since he had taken the mark. Alienating Albus was a step to shutting off the world. If he allowed no-one in, he could feel no pain. He could return to a time when all feeling was dead, and then he could do what he must. He could fight the Dark Lord.
The students returned from holiday. Classes filled his days, grading papers his nights. He found himself assigning more essays than usual, wanting to spend more time wrapped up in the checking of parchments, and recording of grades, as it left less and less time to think. He saw her face less and less in his dreams, smelled her scent less in the hallways, and stopped looking for her around corners.
Once, he had awakened in her chambers still connected through the floo. He was lying on the sofa with an empty bottle of fire whiskey beside him. He blasted the living quarters, rendering them unsuitable, and then taking her floo off the network, left. He removed her signature, and his, returning to his chambers feeling worse than he had before.
Lenny began bringing back items that she sent him. Magical items, dark and evil, artefacts of her family. Artefacts that kept the house dark and locked in its wickedness. Potions came with the elf, potions that he destroyed after discovering their properties.
One day a book arrived. An old book, one filled with potions and spells. He saw a note between the pages and peered at it.
Her attempts at writing amused him. Half the letters capitalized, half not. He resisted the impulse to grab his quill and correct the parchment as he would a class essay. Ruthlessly slashing rude comments across the page and assigning it a failing grade. The contents stilled his hand.
Please See BooK FOR PoTIONS. IT is bLood potioNs. NOT daRK. BLood.
No salutation and no signature were included. He looked at it realizing she had never written anything before, had never read a missive addressed to herself. He could see her sitting before the fire struggling to write this, correctly spelling the words, holding it up and examining it, she may have been pleased with the results.
He turned to the book and sat down suddenly when he saw what it contained. The best scholars thought this book to be a myth. Yet, he held it in his hands. This one book was the rarest he had ever held. He lifted it to his nose, smelling the centuries of dust. He knew this one tome was worth more than his life's savings. Even Lucius would have hesitated to purchase it.
The Language was ancient, not yet Old English, yet not the Greek, nor the old Roman language, spoken in the isles at the time. He wondered how Abigail had known the contents. She had only just learned to read. Even though she was improving, she should not even be able read the title. He wondered what other books the Estate of the Reyes contained.
The pages were brittle with age, the pages yellowed, the ink a dark rust colour. The handwritten pages, decorated with runes and intricate drawings, a picture book of horrors. He placed the book behind the loose bricks of his fireplace, and spent the rest of the afternoon warding the one lone book.
Classes were preparing for finals. Each day he thought of the book and the fact that she had sent it to him. He knew it would be a week or more before he could begin his translations. He was becoming impatient and short tempered.
Twice more the Dark Lord had called him. Twice he had attended meetings that were only to stroke the monster's ego, to inflict pain and to garner respect. Lucius had attended both times, but the wizards dared not talk, dared not appear interested in what the other had to say.
On the last day of term as the students were preparing to leave, Draco Malfoy came to the potions classroom. Striding in and walking up to the Professors desk, he tossed down a note with the Malfoy seal on it.
"Father said to give you this before I left for the summer. It is an invitation to my initiation," Draco smirked.
Severus had been dreading this. He had been with Lucius as Narcissa had laboured for three days to deliver him. His birth had been hard on his mother, rendering her barren. All the Malfoy's hopes and dreams had been pinned on the small five-pound bundle she had delivered.
Severus had stayed on with Lucius and Narcissa for the entire summer after the birth of their silver haired son. As Lucius cared for his wife, Severus had cared for the child. A bond had developed that Severus did not understand. He had watched over Draco from his first day to this.
"So, you think yourself a full grown Wizard?" Severus said coldly.
"I will join you and father in our fight for blood purity," Draco said lifting his chin in pride.
"You will fight for blood purity with the half-blood Dark Lord?" Severus asked amused.
"My father says I must, and I want to bring honour to my family." Draco said, his resolve not wavering.
"You would better serve our Lord by educating yourself." Severus reasoned, shrugging his shoulders. "If you would like I will explain that a couple of years of study would make you truly invaluable."
"The Dark Lord is keeping my parents as his personal guest until I have taken the mark." Draco said. His voice breaking as his facade slipped a little.
Severus felt a cold stone hit the bottom of his stomach. He knew what Draco was telling him. His parents' lives were in jeopardy. If Draco did not take the mark, Lucius would pay for the transgression.
"Then, by all means, tell Lucius that I will be there. I shall be proud to see my godson become a man." Severus sarcastically sneered.
Draco swaggered to the door of the classroom, once again the epitome of pure blood arrogance.
"Mr Malfoy, do tell your father I would much enjoy a drink with him. Perhaps we could meet some place private," his voice calm and sure.
Draco looked at his godfather coldly, then nodding his head, left.
It was a full week later before he received the owl with the invitation. Severus ripped open the missive that still lay on his desk. In a fit of fury he set it aflame with his wand, then taking his arm cleared the top of the desk with a roar, sending the contents to the floor. His wand pulled, he smashed a desk, the potions still lining the counter waiting to he catalogued, and then stormed out of the castle to the Malfoy Manor.
Lucius himself opened the door, Narcissa standing behind him.
"I hear congratulations are in order my old friend," he began as he stepped inside.
"Yes, so you have received the invitation," Lucius said with no emotion.
"My dear Narcissa," Severus ignored Lucius completely as he walked to his godson's mother. "You look lovely as always."
He bent to take her hand and bring it to his lips. He had not seen Narcissa so haggard since the delivery of the child. She had lost weight, enough to look painful, her once beautiful eyes, dull and shrunken into her skull.
"I have come to collect your husband for a congratulatory drink," he smirked at her, "Perhaps you can stand to be without him for a few hours?"
"I will check with our guest Severus, he is of course our main concern," she sniffed.
"Of course my dear, that is why I have come to collect him myself," he lied easily, "I do want the Dark Lord assured he is safe, and will be returned shortly."
Narcissa ascended the stairs, returning a few moments later. She looked paler then she had only a short time ago. Lucius hurried to her, taking her arm and guiding her to a chair in the sitting room.
"Narcissa dear," he said softly into her ear, "I have much to talk over with Severus. Please forgive me, but I must leave you for only a short time."
Narcissa nodded, looked at Severus, and turned her eyes away.
The two wizards stepped to the floo and spun out to the Leaky Cauldron. Once there they stepped outside the building and apparated to Hogsmeade, walking the rest of the way to the Hogs Head.
Once inside the dark pub, they found a corner table and cast silencing spells around themselves. Aberforth was working the bar, and knew that the men drank Ogden's finest and would not want to be disturbed. He reached under the bar and picked up his wand to send the bottle, and two glasses floating to the table. Severus nodded his approval to him.
'Lucius, we are here to talk about your family," Severus sneered.
"And yours," Lucius added watching the wizard in front of him intently.
"I have no family Lucius, you are well aware of this," Severus said raising his eyebrow.
"You may not have taken the bonds my friend," Lucius looked at him calmly, "but she is your family."
Severus raised his glass to his lips and finished the shot in one gulp. He reached for the bottle to refill the glass as Lucius put his hand over his.
"Family is not those we have a contract with," Lucius said in an uncharacteristic display, "family is what we call those we love. Severus, I have not seen you like this since the loss of Lily."
"Lucius, I do not…"
"Of course not Severus," Lucius said sitting up straighter in his chair, looking down his nose at Severus. "I have come to realize that I will lose both my wife and my son. The Dark Lord has assigned a task to Draco to prove his loyalty. If he fails then Narcissa will be lost to me."
"What is the task?" Severus asked.
"You must be watchful next term Severus. You must keep an eye to your back." Lucius leaned forward. "All I am willing to say is that the Headmaster will be in danger."
The two sat in silence for a few moments before the silver haired wizard continued.
"Severus, the final battle approaches. We both know we will not survive. I have joined you Severus. I will give you whatever information I can," Lucius said sincerely. "But Severus, use this time and go to your witch."
"She is not…"
"Severus, stop. I no longer want to play this game. Narcissa wants to talk to you. She has some idea that you can help protect Draco." Lucius looked older then Severus had ever seen him look. "Just talk to them Severus, talk to Narcissa, then go to your witch."
"I think I have already crossed that bridge old friend," Severus sighed, "and then I set it on fire and burnt it from under my feet."
"Witches have an amazing capacity for forgiveness," Lucius frowned. "I cannot fathom that Narcissa would forgive me for foisting this on her, yet she seems to have done so."
"You have been with her since Fifth Year Lucius," Severus said truthfully. "I have not yet known Abigail a year."
"I loved Narcissa when I first saw her Severus, I knew she was mine." Then he laughed and grabbed the bottle, pouring yet another drink. "It only took me four more years to convince her she wanted me as well. Quite a record for me."
Severus felt his lip twitch at this. Lucius had never been faithful to his wife. He took as many witches to his bed as he wanted. He would not waste his precious time wooing a witch he could not bed, and to spend four years convincing one, was a testament to his feelings.
"I tell you Severus, if I could do this over, I would still be an arse." He smirked at Severus, "However, I would not hurt her as I have. I would not risk her and my son's life, and I would not have waited four years, I would have taken her to my bed sooner."
Severus looked down at the table. Then turning his eyes up to Lucius, he looked at him for a few moments before talking.
"You need to go to the Headmaster. He will do what he can to protect Draco and your wife," Severus said evenly.
"Not this time. Not when it is his very life the Dark Lord seeks. I have no illusions that he can help," Lucius shook his head. "No my friend. Tell him I shall send information as I can. Tell him to trust what I send. I expect nothing in return."
"We need to go. I have to see Narcissa, as you so clearly have told me." Severus said rising. "And then, I will need to see Albus. He is not well Lucius, he is weakening, infected by a poison Poppy cannot even identify. It eats at him."
"Will he recover? Your Order still needs him." Lucius said with concern.
"The final battle is not far off. He speaks of things ending soon." Severus shook his head. "He only lives to help Potter and to see this ended. He is not as he used to be Lucius. He is worried for Draco and the rest of the pure bloods that have been dragged into this. Rest assured, he will do what he can for Draco, as will I."