Songs Used: Listen to your heart Roxette: guitar version(1988)
AN: This is a warning to those either sensitive to smut or are underage. The below second contains hefty amounts of smut. If you don't want to read it, scroll down to the line "Always", which is the end of this section. This is your one and only warning.
Aelladora was up early one Saturday morning in November. It was the first Quidditch game, and she had been training with the Slytherin team as often as possible. She even chased off the Weasley twins when they were trying to spy on the practices. It had also been a week since she and Severus had found out she was around nine weeks pregnant with twins.
"Severus!" She ran into his room. She whispered, rolling over and sighing. Trailing a hand across his chest she smiled, her face flushed, his obsidian irises opened and locked on hers. She drew a sharp breath. Her heart was racing as she stood in a trance. Severus smirked, knowing the effect he was having on the young woman.
"What is it, little witch?" his voice heavy with sleep. She snapped out of whatever trance she had been in and opened her mouth. Unfortunately, she ended up looking like a gaping fish.
Aella gulped her cheeks aflame, "C-coffee?" He nodded, chuckling as she all but ran from the room. She made it out to their kitchen and grabbed the counter. Her breathing came in shallow breaths. Severus shook his head as he slid from his bed and silently followed her into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter, looking her up and down. She wore a black tank top that had been cut in half low enough to just cover her breasts just barely visible baby bump starting to show. Her dark grey shorts showed her toned muscles from years of quidditch. He crept forward, grazing his fingers just under her shirt. She felt his warm, slender fingers ghost along her skin, causing her to shiver and lean back against his chest, letting out a soft moan.
He let out a deep chuckle before grazing her chest and gently gripping her throat. He felt her relax completely against him as he kissed her collarbone where the wolf sat howling. He muttered, "I thought you were getting coffee, little witch."
"I-I was," She stumbled over her words, entranced by his touch. She slowly reached her hands up behind her, tangling them in his silky soft hair.
He released his hand on her neck and waist, earning a whimper from the woman, causing yet another deep chuckle. "Patience parvulus." He whispered in her ear as he lightly stroked his fingers up the outer edge of her arms. He nipped her ear before leaving a trail of soft kisses back down her neck, grinning against her mark, an idea forming. His grip on her wrists tightened slightly as he twirled her around and pinned her wrists to the cupboards above in one hand. His other hand caressed her cheek, turning her face towards him, molten silver met obsidian. His eyes darkened with yearning.
She gulped, then licked her lip. The urge to lean up and kiss him was there. His touch ignited a fire under her skin no one else had before. She wasn't a virgin, and her travels had seen many lovers, but nothing compared to his dominating touch. "S-Sev, please?" She whimpered.
"Please what, my pet?" Severus smirked at her, his thumb stroking her cheek.
"Kiss me?" Aella whispered before soft lips met hers. She let out a gasp allowing him to slip his tongue in as they kissed. Her heart raced as he dominated the kiss, only pulling away when they could no longer breathe. Letting go of her wrists, he wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her body against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs wrapped around his waist, their foreheads pressed against each other as they gasped for breath.
He smiled; his eyes held a desire behind them she hadn't seen before. "Coffee?" Her eyes went wide before their combined laughter rang through the room. He shook his head. Severus waved his hand at the kitchen, making two coffee cups appear. Carrying her into the sitting room in front of the fire, he sat down on the couch. He raised an eyebrow at her flushed face.
"Everything alright, pet?" He whispered in her ear, grinning when he felt her shiver at his voice or the name he wasn't sure.
Aella couldn't help the shiver of desire that overtook her body when Severus' voice went soft but still held the baritone notes she loved. She realised without a doubt in her mind she was falling for this man. What was she to tell Onyx the next time they met?
"I'm fine," She whispered, threading her fingers through his soft hair. "You set me on fire, Severus; your touch, your voice, the way you dominate, and I comply so quickly scares me. Yet at the same time, I love the feeling." Her voice was soft and melodic to his ears.
He smirked as he tangled a hand into her untamed curls tipping her head back; he was enjoying her submissive nature and how she complied with his touch. Yes, there was a side that wanted to fight him. In the end though she always submitted. He nipped at her neck, eliciting a soft moan from the woman; to bare her neck to him that alone showed she trusted him. He latched onto the wolf on her collarbone immediately; she writhed in pleasure. He had to tighten his hold around her waist to keep the witch from falling to the floor. Her moans and whimpers of pleasure were driving him insane with desire for her.
Just as he had laid her gently onto the couch underneath him, starting another makeout session with her, that would more than likely end in either of their beds. A knock on his door interrupted them. Severus looked up, furious and torn between ignoring them and taking care of the writhing woman under him or giving whoever it was a piece of his mind for interrupting them. Aella sighed, seeing the struggle in his usually expressionless eyes. She would give anything for him to ignore the door and continue ravishing her body. But she knew whoever was at the door would not go away until he answered it.
She cupped his cheek, turning his face towards her. "We can continue later. Whoever is at the door wants your attention, as much as I want you to ravish me. The person at the door won't go away." She sat up, brought his face closer, gave him one more passionate kiss. She walked over to the kitchen, she placed the glamour he taught her over her stomach before grabbing her coffee and preparing to watch the fireworks of whoever dared to interrupt the two of them this early in the morning.
Severus watched Aella sway her hips back and forth to the kitchen. She leaned against the counter, holding her coffee cup in one hand, the other folded under her breasts, making them pop a little above the cropped top she wore. He shook his head; the knock came again. This time the door swung open, and in walked Albus Dumbledore. Severus swore under his breath while Aella lost it, laughing she even had to place her cup on the counter so the coffee wouldn't spill.
Albus looked the two of them up and down. The girl was wearing a pair of shorts, a crop top, and Severus was glaring at him with nothing but a pair of joggers.
Severus walked over to Aella, wrapping an arm around her waist as he grabbed his coffee behind her. He then sat on a stool next to the coffee bar keeping a hand around her waist, smirking as she leaned into his chest. "What is so important that you barge into my private quarters at ungodly hours in the morning, Albus? I mean a few seconds longer, and you might, have wanted to oblivate the image out of your mind." Severus rested a cheek against Aella's ink-black curls as she giggled and shivered at what he was implying would have taken place were they not interrupted.
"I just came down here to inform you, Lucius Malfoy arrived at breakfast, and since you weren't there, I was concerned. So I came down here to see what was holding you up. Apparently, she takes more after her mother than I thought." Albus didn't have to explain what he was implying.
Severus tightened his grip around the witch's waist, feeling the growls coming from deep within her chest. He moved his mouth to her ear, "Don't give him what he wants, my pet. Let me protect you now." He purred in her ear. He felt her relax against him once more, and the growls turned to a soft whimper. "Good girl." He kissed the side of her head, chuckling at her nuzzling his neck for comfort. He brought his hand up to rub her back gently.
"Albus, if Lucius was looking for me at breakfast and didn't see me, he knows where my quarters are, so I'll ask one more time. What do you want? The only thing Aelladora and Bellatrix have in common is their hatred for you. So, I would suggest you leave her alone. Whatever you are trying to imply here is mute. She is of age, well past it, in fact. I am my own person. You will not dictate my entire life. Do I make myself clear?" Severus finished, his voice going ice cold.
Aella could feel the energy flow off of Severus as he got angrier. It was dark. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Albus glare at her while twisting his wand in between his fingers. Severus must have seen it too. In seconds together, they screamed Protego in their heads. They created an emerald shield around them as Albus shouted stupify pointing his wand towards Aella. It bounced off their shield and hit Albus in the chest.
"Severus, he can't know about my magic. He just can't!" Aella cried out into his chest, shaking in fear as their shield dissipated. Severus was shocked as to what just happened, so he just nodded.
"Aella, little witch, listen to me." He whispered, wrapping both arms around her, holding her tight to him. "I will protect you, and our twins you're carrying I promise. Don't fret, parvulus, I will deal with this. You go get ready. I suspect your father will be here soon. If he shows up before me, let him in, okay?" He tipped her chin up, placing a kiss on her lips, not as passion-filled as before but a loving one. One filled with the promise of protection, Aella calmed and melted into the kiss. "I will return, I promise." He whispered, staring into her silver eyes, his heart falling for her with every minute he spent with her. Aella nodded, letting him go.
"Hurry back, love." Aella smiled, kissing his cheek.
Severus looked at her, before gathering the headmaster up and disappearing into the green flames, he whispered, "Always."
(It's safe to read now if you scrolled down. )
Once she was alone, she touched her lips, shocked over this morning's shenanigans, not that she was complaining. She sighed and finished her coffee on the way to her bedroom. She set the cup on her nightstand before flopping onto her bed, giggling. She was still turned on over his voice and touch. A thought filtered through her desire clouded brain as to why she had woken him up. She leapt off her bed and raced to the closet. The tiny witch debated for a moment before grabbing her quidditch uniform. After her shower, she had time to kill. Noticing her guitar in the corner, she had an idea. Picking it up, she walked over to her desk, a folder of guitar music sitting there. She picked out a sheet smiling as she strummed and began playing.
Severus returned to the sound of singing and the sound of a guitar coming from Aella's room. Raising an eyebrow, he cracked the door open silently. The sound of her voice was melodic to his ears. He leaned on the door frame, watching her confidently play the guitar.
"I know there's something in the wake of your smile / I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yeah / You've built a love, but that love falls apart / Your little piece of heaven turns too dark / Listen to your heart when he's calling for you / Listen to your heart, there's nothing else you can do / I don't know where you're and I don't know why / But listen to your heart before, you tell him goodbye" She was sitting on a stool music sheet on a stand in front of her. He watched as her eyes closed, feeling the music as well as singing it. Her head nodded to the music she was creating. He wondered how long it would take to notice him, but he didn't want to stop her lovely voice.
Her fingers glided over the notes taking a breath before starting again. "Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile / The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yeah / They're swept away, and nothing is what it seems / The feeling of belonging to your dreams / Listen to your heart, when he is calling for you / Listen to your heart, there's nothing else you can do / I don't know where you're going, and I don't know why / But listen to your heart before you tell him good-bye" Her voice took to the high notes better than most opera singers he'd ever heard. He was in awe as she stood up and turned the music sheets without missing a strum. Aella was in her own world as she hit the solo and hammered the notes out. She had always been gifted with muggle instruments, so Lucius bought her a grand piano and an emerald and silver acoustic guitar for her seventeenth birthday. As she neared the end of the solo, she took another breath and belted out the last verse.
"And there are voices that want to be heard / So much to mention, but you can't find the words / The scent of magic, the beauty that's been (beauty that's been) / When love was wilder than the wind / Listen to your heart (take a listen to it) when he's calling for you / Listen to your heart (take listen to it) there's nothing else you can do / I don't know where you're going, and I don't know why / but listen to your heart before, oh / Listen to your heart (take a listen to it) when he's calling for you / Listen to your heart (take listen to it) there's nothing else you can do / I don't know where you're going, and I don't know why / but listen to your heart before / You tell him goodbye" She felt the last burst of music inside her, she belted out the end of the song.
"Listen to your heart / Listen to your heart (take a listen to it) / Listen to your heart / Listen to your heart (take a, take a listen to it) / Listen to your heart / Listen to your heart (oh, oh) / Listen to your heart (oh, ooh, oh) / Listen to your heart (oh, oh, oh) / Listen to your heart (oh, oh) / Listen to your heart (oh, oh, oh) / Listen to your heart (oh, oh) / Listen to your heart (oh, yeah, yeah, yeah) / Listen to your heart (oh, oh)" She let her fingers strum the last few notes as she opened her eyes realising she had played the song on memory never looking at the music sheets she laughed. He cleared his throat and knocked on the door. Aella cursed as she turned around, faced with a still shirtless Severus Snape leaning against her doorframe, a devilish smirk on his handsome face.
"Brilliant in a potions lab and sings like a siren. Will you ever stop being an amazing, little witch?" Aella went beat red at the sound of his voice and the longing desire behind his obsidian irises.
"H-how long have you been standing there?" She gripped her guitar tightly to herself as he crossed the room, stopping in front of her.
"I just came back from fixing Dumbledore's memory when I heard you playing. So… the whole time." He smirked as her face went as red as a tomato. She turned her head, causing some water droplets to fling off her still damp wild hair.
"You should get dressed. Father will be here soon." She said softly, sweeping around him, carefully placing her guitar back in its case, trying to ignore the urge to jump him like a spider monkey and finish what he had started this morning.
Severus raised an eyebrow, "Your voice is like a nightingale and a siren mixed together. Try as I may, I couldn't tear myself away from the door." She turned to face him, smirking.
"I know. Father always stayed during my music lessons. The instructor said I was naturally gifted with music, so he bought me my own grand piano and this guitar for my coming of age party. While traveling, I met a woman named Roxette who wrote that song. I performed it with her at the Borgholm Castle ruin on the Swedish Baltic Sea Island of Ӧland." She made her way back over to him, swaying her hips seductively as she was explaining. "Now, if you don't go and get dressed," Her silver eyes held a hot desire in them as she locked eyes with his. He raised an eyebrow. "You will end up on my bed finishing what you started this morning regardless if my father walks in or not." Her eyes softened as she lightly traced her hand over the tribal moon on his collarbone. Why she hadn't noticed it before, she wasn't sure. He brought a hand up and covered hers, bringing it to his lips. He gave her a soft kiss on her knuckles before heading out the door and into his own room. She let out a soft laugh before heading into the living room, letting out a shriek of surprise seeing her father already sitting on the couch with a glass of firewhiskey.
"H-how long have you been here, father?!" Aella demanded.
"Oh, I'd say long enough to see my old friend entranced by your beautiful voice, my dear Aelladora," Lucius said snarkily, letting out a laugh at his daughters' cry of frustration.
"You know what, I'm taking my broom, gathering the Slytherin team and doing some early morning practice before the game this afternoon. You two have fun. How bloody hard is it to get some privacy around here?" She screeched as she stormed around the room, gathering her boots and broom while rampaging. "Good day! I'll see you two at the pitch!" She shouted before slamming the door behind her.
・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・
As the morning went on, Aelladora was proud of her brother's progress. She was showing him a new nosedive. Lucius and Severus were watching her in the teachers stands. Severus went white as a ghost gripping the railing as he watched his witch tip her broom into a nosedive. He had to admit the tight corkscrew spiral she did was excellent and took his breath away. He released the breath he didn't even know he was holding when she pulled out of it, skimming the grass with her free hand laughing. Her face flushed with the cold aiír before a rainstorm.
Lucius was beside him, laughing, clutching his ribs at Severus' expression, knowing his daughter was brilliant on a broomstick just like with everything else she did. Everything came naturally to her, whereas his son Draco had to practise before getting it right. Lucius always found it odd they both had the same two bloodlines, their mothers being sisters after all.
"She's fine, Severus. In the fifteen years she's been on a broom, not once has she fallen off." Lucius chortled as the younger man blushed, the embarrassment of being read so quickly. "You two told each other yet?"
"Just what exactly are you asking, Lucius?" Severus snapped back at his best friend.
"Listen, I know my daughter. She's headstrong, determined, and stunning in looks. This past summer, after spending four years travelling the world. She then spent every day in the gardens with parchment, a quill and her raven Vísindi*. I know she was writing to you. I would recognise Gørsimi* anywhere, my friend. I know what you did for her while she was in school, how you protected her." Lucius sighed, looking towards his best friend.
"You realise, I've tried every pure-blood match I can think of for her marriage. She told me this summer to stop looking, that not one of these... What was the word she used." He tapped a finger on his chin, grinning. "Ah, yes, dunderheaded fools, would ever match her intellectually. If she couldn't have a partner that challenged her every day intellectually, one that wouldn't make her a housewife. Oh, what was the other word… a broodmare, I believe she used. She would rather die single." Lucius laid a hand on Severus' shoulder. Severus shuddered at the thought of ever stopping her from achieving every single one of her dreams.
"What I'm saying is I haven't seen her that riled up this morning since you challenged her to think beyond the books instructions and her photographic memory in the third year. The fire that she holds in her eyes now is the daughter I raised, the daughter I know deep down is right there on that broom freefalling with no care in the world. The woman you were entranced by her music this morning is a product of whatever is going on between you two. You both have grown so close as friends in the last four years. What haven't you told me old friend?" Lucius finished his speech.
"That's something I believe Aella and I need to tell you and Narcissa in private away from this castle." Severus responded softly.
Lucius frowned, "Does it have to do with the glamour charm around her stomach?" Severus nodded, "Well I see, Narcissa will be so happy." They saw Aella fly towards them. Hopping off her broom, she threw her arms around Severus' neck and planted a cold kiss on his cheek. His cheeks went red at her antics as she started giggling. He took a look at her. Her eyes once more held fire behind them. Her cheeks were flush from the cold winds and the happiness she felt.
"How was practice, my dear?" he asked as he pulled her to their seats but had her sit in front of him while he worked on her hastily made braid.
"It was exhilarating. Draco is finally getting the hang of his broom. It's only taken three months, but hey, you know, apparently not everyone is as quick as me, I guess. I really think our team has a good chance of winning. Dobby, when did you get here? Why are your fingers bandaged? Father?!" Severus chuckled as he finished fixing her braid and pining it into the rose-shaped bun he knew she loved during her explanation. Lucius, smirking at how his customarily closed off and guarded friend, seemed to soften when his daughter was around. Severus let her see the softer unguarded side and vice-versa. Lucius' smirk turned into a scowl at his daughter's screech upon seeing her favourite elf harmed.
"I did nothing, nor did I command him to punish himself. He's been acting weird since you left in August. Every time he sees Potter, he whimpers and hides like he did something wrong." Lucius sneered at the child's name.
Aelladora huffed in acceptance, taking the tiny elf's hands in her own. Then looking around, making sure no one would see a green light appear around them, the bandages falling off and his burns healed. Next time you do father will personally deliver you to me and I will leave to Clicky's mercy." She used a stern voice as she slumped back slightly exhausted against Severus, who lifted her up and set her in the seat next to him as the match began. The tiny elf nodded and sat at her feet. He smirked at her use of his house-elf as a threat Clicky could be creative sometimes.
Within the first ten minutes of the game, the sky opened up, and rain poured down. Aella laughed as the match started progressing. Potter was being chased by a bludger, and her team was ahead sixty to zero. She caught Severus' gaze, and they felt the others desire. She leaned closer to the raven-haired wizard about to kiss his cheek, quickly losing interest in the game. Severus saw her. As the two seekers raced past them, he saw the bludger following Potter. He had a seconds notice to grab Aella by the waist and twist them as he pulled her underneath him to protect her.
"Are you okay, witch?" His voice was husky with longing for the small witch under him. Her face was as red as a Weasley's hair. She nodded, touching the side of his face, the desire evident in her silver eyes.
Lucius decided now they needed to be reminded of an audience by clearing his throat. "Well, I guess we need to have a talk with Draco, don't you, Aella? That snitch was right beside his head, and he practically gave it to Potter on a silver platter."
Aella sighed in frustration. "Yes, father, we should do that."
Severus got up, reaching out a hand to help her up. They dusted off their cloaks, smiling sadly to each other as she followed her father and house-elf down to the locker room where Marcus was already lighting into Draco about the snitch.
Aella sneered at Marcus, "Oi, you going to leave any for me to do?" she snapped, just wanting to be in her chambers in Severus' arms.
"No, you can go. Your father can stay." Aella huffed at Marcus' words looking up to her father.
"I'm going back to my chambers. I'll see you at Christmas, father." She growled at her father and stalked back to her and Severus' chambers.
After a pleasant dinner together, one that Severus made himself. They sat on the floor in front of the fireplace laughing over Albus' face earlier that morning. Leaning against each other, taking in the comfort of being close to one another.
"My dear, have you thought of what you wanted for Christmas?" Severus spoke softly, running his hand through her somewhat tamed curls.
"The only thing I ever truly wanted was to be able to see my mother and just hug her, tell her I never forgot about her." She sniffed, trying to keep the tears from flowing. "I'm not sure it's possible, though, or at least father had never taken me to see her since she was taken away when I was thirteen."
He wrapped his arm around her, "I will try my best, dear. If I truly can't, is there anything else you desire?" He could feel her start to calm down and knew he would be carrying her to bed tonight.
"A familiar I can carry with me." She whispered, "A dragon snake." He chuckled as he watched the cute yawn escape her mouth.
"Okay, do I want to know why that specific snake?" His voice grew softer, trying to lull her to sleep after the eventful day she had.
"It's the closest to a dragon I can legally own," she blushed, twisting, so she was facing him, laying in his lap. She reached up, stroking his inky-black hair. "It also reminds me of you. The colour of your beautiful eyes and hair the colour of an onyx stone." Her voice was barely a whisper as her eyes drooped closed and her hand fell across her bare midriff.
"Onyx, dear, that is an odd choice of words even for you." He traced the curve of her cheek softly with his long slender fingers. As he carried her to bed and crawled in beside her wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him to ward off any nightmares that might plague the witch, he whispered in her ear. "Little witch, I love you three more than you could ever realize." Kissing her forehead, he followed her into sleep.
‧͙⁺˚*･༓ ‧͙⁺˚*･༓ ‧͙⁺˚*･༓
"Sev, why must You help him with the duelling club? Why are we even doing this? It's not like it's going to help them." Aelladora was worried for Severus' safety after what had happened a month ago with the bludger to Harry's arm and Lockhart attempting to fix it.
"My dear, I will be fine. The Dark Lord always praised my quick duelling abilities. You have nothing to worry about." Severus tried to reassure his apprentice, who looked frightened.
They walked towards the great hall, and Aella was shaking due to her nerves. She put her hand on his arm as they got to the doors. Over the last four months, they had formed a close friendship, and he no longer flinched at her touch.
"Sev, this is a bad idea" Aella looked at the floor while holding his arm.
"I know, Aella" he cupped her chin, bringing her silver eyes to meet his obsidian orbs, and kissed her forehead. "I'll be fine, Parvulus." Aella whimpered but let him walk through the doors.
The long dining tables had vanished, and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more, and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited. Severus and Aelladora stuck to the shadows listening to the Gryffindors conversation.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young. Maybe it'll be him."
Aella started snickering as Severus raised an eyebrow at her. Little Miss Know-it-all thinks Flitwick is the best duelist. Severus chuckled softly and shook his head before kissing her forehead again and walking towards the stage.
"As long as it's not —" Harry began. Still, he ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black. Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club and train you all in case you ever need to defend yourself as I have done on countless occasions — for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you, youngsters, to worry — you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Harry's ear. Snape's upper lip was curling. Harry wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at him like that, he'd have been running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.
Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them. "As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.
"One — two — three —" Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light, and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backwards off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.
Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together. Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet, his hat had fallen off, and his wavy hair was standing on end.
"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown — yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was pronounced what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy — however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…."
Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed because he said, "Demonstrating Enough! I will come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me —"
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter —"
Harry moved automatically toward Hermione.
"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger — you can partner Miss Bulstrode."
Harry watched the strange girl whisper in Malfoy's ear as though she was worried before taking her spot next to Snape, grabbing his cape as Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Harry of a picture he'd seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square, and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"
Harry and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.
"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one…two…three —"
Harry swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two": His spell hit Harry so hard he felt as though he'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "Rictusempra!"
A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach, and he doubled up, wheezing.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Harry hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.
"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.
A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologising for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock, and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.
"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan…."
"Careful there, Miss Fawcett…Pinch it hard. It'll stop bleeding in a second,"
"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered amid the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and glanced away. "Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of FinchFletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile. The girl next to him snarled something at him. "Aelladora, your brother will be fine. Stand down!" Snape snarled back. Harry noticed something pass between their eyes because the girl went submissive and hung around, her feisty temper gone. Aelladora was also rubbing her neck like a mark there or something.
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.
"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this." He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops— my wand is a little overexcited—"
Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
"Scared?" muttered Malfoy so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.
"You wish," said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.
Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"
"What, drop my wand?"
But Lockhart wasn't listening. "Three — two — one — go!" he shouted.
Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded. As a long black snake shot out of it, Harry watched, aghast, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it…."
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake, and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
Harry wasn't sure what made him do it. He wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that his legs were carrying him forward as though he was on casters and that he had shouted stupidly at the snake, "Leave him alone!" And miraculously — inexplicably — the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. Harry felt the fear drain out of him. He knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone directly, though how he knew it, he couldn't have explained.
He looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see Justin looking relieved, puzzled, or even grateful — but indeed not angry and scared.
"What do you think you're playing at?" He shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.
Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was unexpectedly looking at Harry: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Harry didn't like it. Aelladora was also watching him with interest. She started to step towards him, but Snape grabbed her shoulder, holding her back. He was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then he felt a tugging on the back of his robes.
"Come on," said Ron's voice in his ear. "Move — come on —"
Ron steered him out of the hall, Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something.
Aelladora fled the great hall. All her instincts were telling her was to go somewhere safe. She made a split-second decision and walked out the entrance hall's massive oak doors. She needed to think, and the only way to do that was to run and let her wolf take over.
Aella ran towards the woods, shifting into her wolf as soon as she hit the edge of the forest. Running through the woods to her and Onyx's cave. The last person to speak parseltongue was Uncle Tom. How did this boy know the language that only the descendants of Salazar Slytherin knew?
Translations:
Vísindi - Norse meaning Intelligence (Male)
Gørsimi - Norse meaning Treasure (Female)