Marie woke up before 7 and looked over at her table, the parchment she'd signed rolled up and staring her in the face, a reminder that none of this was a dream. The giddy feeling she'd had last night was starting to fade, and now she could feel the anxiety creeping in. Her fingers trembled slightly as she got dressed and went downstairs, hoping she'd get a few minutes alone with Lord Kent before going for her morning walk, this time properly bundled up in her thicker set of robes.

When she came down to the parlor, the fire was going but Lord Kent was nowhere to be seen, although the Daily Prophet was folded up next to an abandoned cup of tea, so it was clear he'd already been sitting there and was now off somewhere probably doing something useful. Did the man ever sleep?

She buttoned up her robes and walked out the door, the contract burning a hole in her pocket as she walked through the grounds. When she completed her loop on the path, she paused and realized she didn't remember any of it, her mind so deep in her own thoughts that she'd been on autopilot.

Breakfast was shockingly normal given the events of the last several days. Soren was surprisingly chipper and excited that he was going to be back in the classroom with her this morning.

"May I please be excused?" Soren said, looking over at his father as he finished his glass of milk.

"You may. Did you make your bed?"

"Not yet." Soren replied sheepishly. He was hoping his father wouldn't remember and Marie would swoop in and put it to rights with her wand as she normally did.

Snape hardened his features. "You're to do that every morning, no excuses." He turned to Marie. "Ms. Cloutier, do not assist him with magic, he needs to learn how to keep his room tidy like any other boy his age."

Marie looked over at the man and nodded. "Yes of course."

"Soren, be quick about it," Snape said as he glanced at his watch. "And don't forget to brush your teeth. You had better not be late to class either."

"I won't," Soren whined slightly as he climbed out of his chair.

"Pardon?" Snape said, unimpressed with the boy's tone.

"Yes, father, I'll be quick," Soren quickly amended.

"From now on you'll make your bed before breakfast. I won't have you rushing around before class. You should be settled, calm, and ready to learn when Ms. Cloutier comes in to begin her lessons. Get moving." Snape gave a stern look and flicked his head toward the stairs.

"Yes, sir!" Soren said as he rushed up the steps, knowing he was going to have to hurry if he was going to get to the classroom on time.

Marie looked up at Snape over the top of her coffee. "New rule?"

"I don't want him spoiled, Ms. Cloutier. He's 7 years-old, I hardly believe asking him to make his bed each morning is treating him like a house elf. He's perfectly capable of keeping his room tidy on his own. So do not assist him. He needs to learn how to take care of himself without magic."

"No, I agree. I'll make sure I get him up a few minutes earlier tomorrow so he has time." She smiled at him briefly, but looked away before she felt awkward, putting all of her attention on the remaining hash browns on her plate.

Snape nodded his head and took a sip of tea. He was well-practiced at hiding his emotions, and was doing his best to pretend everything was just as it always had been this morning. He would say nothing about the contract, not wanting to bring it up in case she had decided she wasn't interested. When he finished his tea, he dabbed at his face briefly with his napkin and then stood. "I hope you will take everything at a suitable pace today, Ms. Cloutier. If at any point it becomes too much or you feel unwell, you should end your lessons and send Tinny to fetch me."

"No, I'm feeling back to normal. Really. That won't be necessary."Come on, Marie, give it to him. Why are you hesitating?

"Let's hope not. But I don't want you to feel pressured to continue if you feel you need more time. I mean it." His voice was full of concern, but he emphasized the last bit with an extra stern look.

"I won't. I promise. I definitely don't want to scare Soren like that again." Although having you carry me off to bed was quite enjoyable. Marie had to work not to smile at the thought.

Snape nodded. "Indeed." He turned and headed toward the dungeons.

It's now or never, Marie! "Wait!" Marie said loudly, her heart beating so loudly she could hear it in her ears.

"Yes?" Snape drawled, turning around to stare at her.

Marie got up and went toward him, pulling out the signed scroll of parchment. "Here," she said, handing it out to him. "I've signed it."

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you take time to read it carefully?" He kept his tone flat but inside he felt an explosion of joy.

"Yes, of course." Maybe carefully isn't the most accurate word.

Snape slipped it into the inside pocket of his coat. "Very well. Then we will discuss everything this evening after Soren is in bed."

Marie just stood there, the adrenaline wearing off now that she'd handed it off. She wasn't quite sure what he was thinking, but she'd hoped he'd be a little more enthusiastic. "OK...well, um, see you at lunch."

When he saw the subtle disappointment move across her face, Snape added: "Well done, Ms. Cloutier. You've taken an important first step." He didn't want to overload her with praise, but it was clear she needed some kind of acknowledgement, and his words had the desired effect and she beamed in response before he turned abruptly back toward the dungeons.

Marie wanted to squeal in delight- she had no idea how she was possibly going to focus on anything else today, all she could think about was her 8pm meeting with Lord Kent.

The day felt like it went at a snail's pace for Marie, but as each hour passed she became more of a nervous wreck, and she started to wonder if she'd made the right choice. Even though she'd been so sure when she'd signed it, now she was having second thoughts. What are you getting yourself into? Maybe you shouldn't do this. She reminded herself that she could break the contract at any time. But what if it is too much? What if I can't handle this? Maybe you should just tell him you changed your mind.

All through dinner she was completely distracted, engaged in a heated battle in her head and oblivious to the conversation Soren was leading at the table.

"Ms. Cloutier? Did you hear me?" Soren asked, snapping her back to reality.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry Soren, what were you saying?" Marie had been so lost in her own thoughts she'd completely zoned out.

"Are you OK? You're not going to pass out again, are you?" Soren said with concern, the small scowl on his face looking shockingly like his fathers.

Marie smiled at him. "Of course not. I am perfectly fine. Please don't worry, Soren, darling."

Snape gave her a matching scowl. "Perhaps you should go to bed right after supper and rest."

"No! Really, I'm fine! I feel 100%. Just a lot on my mind."

"I hope you are telling the truth, Ms. Cloutier. It would be very unfortunate, otherwise." This time his eyes flashed in an unspoken warning.

Marie blushed slightly. "I swear, I am fine."

Snape held her eyes for several more seconds before he looked over at Soren. "You may be excused. Go take a bath and get ready for bed. I'll be upstairs shortly."

Soren let out a disappointed whine. "But I want Ms. Cloutier to put me to bed, she hasn't done it in forever."

With a sharp snap of his fingers, Snape stared the boy down. "Don't whine. Ms. Cloutier is coming back after quite a serious illness. She'll tuck you in another night. Not another word, off you go."

"I really don't min—"

Snape held his hand up, stopping Marie mid-sentence. "It's not up for discussion." He turned back toward his son. "Soren, say goodnight to Ms. Cloutier."

With a small sigh of resignation, Soren pushed in his chair and walked over to give Marie a big hug. "Goodnight, Ms. Cloutier!"

"Goodnight, Soren. I'll tuck you in tomorrow, OK?"

Soren nodded and stayed another moment in her embrace. "I've missed you. I'm glad you're better."

"Me too." Marie gave him a small kiss on the top of his head. "I'll see you in the morning, OK?"

The little boy scurried off to the stairs and Marie turned to look at Lord Kent. "I'm perfectly fine, really."

Snape kept his face stern. "You will take a few moments for yourself to rest, relax, and settle your mind. I can practically hear your thoughts screaming at me from here. If you need more time to consider things, then do so. There's no rush. We can meet tomorrow evening, or a week from now, or never. It's up to you. But this isn't a decision you should take lightly, so if you're not ready to move forward, or you are having second thoughts, then we won't. It's as simple as that."

"What? No! I've been waiting all day for this meeting, I'm just nervous."

He searched her face for signs of deception but found none. He didn't want to rush her into anything, in fact he was already second-guessing himself for presenting her with such a contract in the midst of all of the emotions and turmoil of the day before. Maybe you're pressuring her and she's afraid to say so.

Snape set his napkin down on the table and stood. "I will be in my study at 8pm. If you need more time, you should take it. I mean it, Ms. Cloutier."

"I don't need it. I'll see you at eight." She made a sad attempt to smile, but she could tell he was unimpressed.

With a nod of his head, Snape made his way upstairs to Soren's room to hurry him along in his bedtime routine.

For once, Marie craved a glass of wine or something to settle her nerves, but the wine had been suspiciously lacking on the table tonight. Inconvenient. I'd much rather go into this meeting with a little bit of liquid courage.

So instead Marie went to her room and tried to clear her head. She laid back on her bed and attempted to read, but couldn't focus, having made it through three pages before she realized she didn't remember a single word. Finally she got out a piece of paper and wrote herself a Pro/Con list. When she finished, the only thing in the Con list was "I'm scared/don't know what to expect. Come on Marie, this is what you want. Be brave. You trust him, don't you? And she did. She couldn't explain why, but she trusted Lord Kent to take care of her. She knew he'd be strict with her, but she also knew he'd never hurt her. In fact he was overprotective of her if anything. It was all going to be fine. Just breathe. Chill the fuck out.

She sat on her bed and did a breathing exercise, something she'd learned in a mindfulness class she'd taken in grad school. She thought about what her teacher had said about envisioning your mind as a small pool of water. When you allow your mind to still, the water becomes clear, everything settles to the bottom and you can see clearly in all directions. When you force too many thoughts, you stir everything up and the water becomes muddy and opaque and it's impossible to see anything. Let your thoughts settle. Let each one fall to the bottom like a piece of sand until everything is clear again.

With each deep breath, she stilled her mind, and after fifteen minutes she felt immensely better. And now that her thoughts were clear, she had no doubt about what she would do.

At 8pm on the dot, Marie knocked confidently on the study door.

"Enter."

Her heartbeat quickened slightly as she reached for the handle, but as soon as she stepped in the door, a feeling of relief washed over her. As usual, Lord Kent was sitting behind his desk, and she couldn't help a fleeting thought of him as a Headmaster who had called her in to lecture and punish her. And she smiled briefly.

Snape cocked an eyebrow. "Something amusing, Ms. Cloutier?"

Marie schooled her face quickly. "No, sir. Not at all."

"Take a seat." He gestured to the small chairs in front of his desk and she slid into one.

Once she'd settled, Snape reached into his coat and pulled out the parchment. "Do you have any questions or concerns you'd like to address before I sign this?"

"No, sir."

"Shall I read it out loud just to be sure you haven't missed any details?"

OMG, no! How horrifying! Marie was pretty she would actually drop dead if he did, so she shook her head. "No, sir. I read it carefully. Several times."

"So you are agreeing to these rules. And these consequences."

A flush went up her neck as she thought back to what was written on the page. "Yes, sir."

"Are you sure? As soon as I sign this, it will go into effect. Of course you may revoke your consent at any time, but that will be the end of it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well." Snape made a dramatic gesture of picking up his quill and signing his name with flair, the scratching of the quill tip on the parchment causing goosebumps to appear all over Marie's skin.

With his wand, Snape duplicated the document, leaving the original on his desk and holding the copy out in front. "Come get your copy. You'd do well to memorize these rules, I will hear no excuses about not knowing or remembering what they are. From this moment forward, even the smallest infraction will be dealt with swiftly. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," Marie said as she stood up and reached across the desk for her copy, a move that forced her to bend slightly over the desk in a not so subtle reminder of the position she will likely find herself in if she steps out of line. Sneaky.

"Now sit. We're going to talk about your recent behavior and my expectations moving forward."

Marie obeyed immediately, realizing that his tone was far more stern than it usually was. He wasn't angry at all, but he definitely meant business and she was starting to get nervous.

"I promised you the opportunity to start with a clean slate. However— even if I am not punishing you, we will address each and every one of your misdeeds before we move forward. Is there anything you wish to say before we get started?"

Marie was starting to get nervous again and she shook her head. "No, sir."

"Let's start at the beginning. We can go chronologically if you prefer. It might be easier to keep track of things this way." Snape pulled out a piece of parchment on which he'd obviously scribbled some notes. When he unfurled it, it was at least three feet long.

Jesus- is that whole thing a list of my fuckups? "Yes, sir, whatever you think is best."

Snape smirked as he glanced up from the page. "My, my we are being so polite this evening, Ms. Cloutier. Amazing how one's manners instantly improve when there's the threat of real consequences. Perhaps there is hope for you yet."

Oh, he was being smug, but Marie bit her tongue, she was trying to be on her best behavior. Even if she enjoyed the way it made her feel when he was being so patronizing. You really do have some screws loose, Marie.

"Now then, let's start with you questioning me, and screaming down the hallway after me on your first day. A violation of Rule #1 No backtalk and no disrespectful language. You should know that you always have the opportunity to share your grievances, however, you will do so politely, and in the proper time and place. And while I don't expect you to call me "sir" all the time— you will when we are in this room or when I am disciplining you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir." Easy enough. There was something about being in this study, with him behind the desk, that made it practically automatic for her. He didn't have to work very hard at all to establish his authority in this room (not that he did in any other room), it was apparent to anyone who walked into it that this was his domain and he would tolerate nothing less than full respect.

"Next- ah yes. The day you blatantly defied my request to send Tinny to get me, seeking me out in my lab to satisfy your own curiosity. Rule #2- you do not disobey me. When I tell you to do something, you will do it. If I tell you not to do something, you will not. Seems fairly straightforward, and yet I imagine this one will be quite a difficult one for you."

Snape paused a moment before he continued. "You should know I do not make rules or requests without reason. Your life will be far simpler and more enjoyable if you obey me. However, the only exception is if you ever feel that what I am asking you to do is somehow a violation of your morals or boundaries. I can't imagine that will ever be the case, but if it is you will come to me and let me know in a respectful way and we can discuss it. Outright disobedience, however, will always be punished. With far more than a few minutes of reflection on the naughty step." He smirked to himself at the memory of her on that tiny stool.

"Yes, sir."

"Next, you not having your wand the day Soren climbed the tree. I think we've quite discussed that ad nauseum, but of course you're always to keep your wand on you. A nice example of Rule #3- you will never put yourself or others in danger or do anything to compromise your health or wellbeing. I take this rule extremely seriously, and you will be punished severely if you do. This includes behavior such as refusing to eat out of spite. Going on long walks in the cold without proper clothing. Going out into dangerous places after dark or any other daft behavior that puts you at risk. I will have no tolerance for that whatsoever."

"I understand." Marie was blushing furiously at the memory.

Snape put the parchment down and looked at her. "I understand that you were upset that you were not getting my full attention at the time, and while I will strive to give you what you need, there will be times where I will be busy or distracted, or otherwise preoccupied. The response to this, if you feel like you need something more from me, is to communicate properly. Which is the perfect reminder for Rule #11- Communicate effectively and respectfully. You are too old to throw tantrums in an effort to get what you want. If you ever, ever act in such an egregious way again, you will succeed in getting my attention, but rather than kind words of reassurance, it will be with my ruler across your backside. Is that clear?"

Marie's face was burning an even deeper red now, just thinking about how silly she'd acted. It was admittedly childish, even if she'd felt justified at the time, but she was horrified imagining what that must have looked like to him.

"And if you ever make yourself sick like that again, due to your own immature behavior and poor decisions, I will tan your hide every night for a week. And I am not being facetious. Your life above all else, is the most important thing, so don't you ever be so flippant with your health ever again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." She felt tears welling in the back of her eyes, something about his words making her feel cared for in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. "I'm sorry."

Snape softened his voice slightly. "I know it can be difficult to take care of oneself when one is not in the best state of mind. Which is why I will do my best to help you find a routine and time to focus on this. I will be hard on you when you neglect your self-care, but it is because I value you and your health is important to me. And to Soren as well. So even if you aren't in a place where you are able to care for yourself for the sake of your own well-being, you will do it anyway. If you do not — Rule #8 by the way— I will be displeased and there will be consequences, but I can assure you, any purposeful action you take that results in any harm to you, and you will be punished most severely. Believe me, you do not want to imagine my wrath in that situation."

Marie had no doubt he meant that- and even though it came with threats, she knew it was meant to reassure her that someone was looking after her. And that felt really nice.

"Now then, what next?" Snape looked down at his parchment. "Ah yes, now we are coming to your most deplorable behavior yet. Rule #4- 'Never hide any dangerous behavior on Soren's part. We have discussed this at length, but I will take a moment to reiterate it, just so there's no confusion. I make the rules in this house, and with good reason. Your job is to follow them and uphold them for Soren as well. I trust you to deal with minor misbehavior in the classroom, although I still do not wish for you to hide it from me— but anything serious, any behavior that puts him at any risk or which you know is in gross violation of one of my rules, and you are to come to me immediately. It is not your job to protect him or keep secrets with him. Ever. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir. I understand completely, I will never hide anything like that from you again."

"I need to be able to trust you, Ms. Cloutier. This is especially true as it pertains to Soren. I hope at this point you know I will never be unreasonable with him, but I need you to do your part to uphold the rules of this house."

Marie nodded. "Yes, sir. I know."

"Good." Snape perused the list once more. "Now then, let's discuss the financial issue. Rule #7. Tomorrow when Soren is taking his afternoon rest, you will contact your bank, update your address, and have all of your documents sent here. We will go through them together on Saturday and I will work out a budget and payment plan. If you so wish, I will also help you with a financial plan for your savings and future goals. I will decide what that looks like once I've seen all of your financial documents. I will continue to pay for your expenses, and there will be no arguing with me about that. You will state clearly how much you've spent. Any arguing or lying, and there will be consequences. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir." She cringed internally at the thought of what those financial documents were going to look like after all of this time, she was sure the interest was insane and she had no clue how much debt she was even in now except she knew it was bad.

"As for your self-care, you will follow a routine as we had you do before. You will get up, do some kind of relaxation or exercise, get yourself ready, and have lights out by 11pm. We will keep the check-list. I expect you to brush your teeth, do your skin care routine, whatever else is a part of your general hygiene routine. I will also insist that once a month at least, on your day off, you do something related to self-care. Get a massage, go to the salon, whatever it is witches do to make themselves feel good about themselves. Something kind for yourself."

"Once a month? I really don't think that's necessary." Marie never spent her money on herself in that way- she couldn't even remember the last time she'd been to a salon, she always just spelled her hair herself. It was easier and far cheaper.

"Did I ask for your opinion, Ms. Cloutier? I did not. If you speak back to me one more time, there will be consequences. Now that's enough. I make the rules, and you obey them. I hardly think one appointment for self-care each month is a violation of your moral code, even if it is a rather telling statement on your self-worth."

"Yes, sir." She hated to admit that he was right, but he was. She'd never spend money on herself in that way, it felt far too indulgent. Especially since she didn't have the money. Although she was dying to ask him when the last time was that hetook time out for self-care. Or did the rules not apply to him? Hypocrite.

"Let us finish with lying. Rule # 6. I know we discussed this yesterday, but just so we're clear, I have zero tolerance for lies. So there will be no more of them. Not overt lies, not lies by omission. You will be honest with me moving forward. That includes not hiding things from me about how you are feeling- mentally and physically. If there are important things going on in your personal life that you feel I should know or are affecting you, you will tell me. Rule #9– You will tell me if you need something, if you're feeling a certain way, and you won't hide anything from me. I imagine this is going to be a difficult one for you. The lies you told to cover for Soren are so numerous I couldn't even begin to count them. One lie became a hundred lies, because that's the thing about lies— one has to continue telling them to keep them up. So that is the end of it."

"Yes, sir. I'm so sorry. Truly." And she was. Marie hated deceiving him the way she had and she was going to try her best to be honest going forward.

Snape leaned forward slightly, his face looking more rigid. "I will tell you what I told Soren, so listen carefully. Lies will always be punished severely, far far more than whatever you're trying to keep from me. And I will find out, and it will never be worth it. But more importantly, lying destroys trust. And your lies have done considerable damage already, Ms. Cloutier. I know banking isn't your strong suit, but trust is the most valuable currency you own. And it is far easier to lose it than it is to earn it back. And you, at the moment, are in debt to more than just the goblins. I imagine I'm not the only person with whom you've been dishonest. So from now on, no more lies, and you work on rebuilding trust."

"Yes, sir. I will."

He looked down at the page and counted silently to himself. "Congratulations, Ms. Cloutier. Out of eleven rules on this list, you've managed to effectively break ten of them out of the gate. I think I've sufficiently pointed most of them out, and now, if you understand what you've done wrong, we will put this behind us and move forward. I promised you a clean start, so here it is. Is there anything you would like to say before we move on?"

Marie's heart started beating rapidly and she felt her mouth go dry. Say it, Marie. "Yes, sir. First I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for lying to you about Soren's wand, I really feel horrible about that. I'm also sorry that I acted in such a stupid way before I got sick. I really appreciate you letting me keep my job and giving me another chance and I'm going to work really hard to follow the rules. Most of all, I want you to rebuild your trust in me."

Snape looked pleased. "Very good."

"And…" Marie hesitated. "I um…I think, maybe you should punish me." Fuck! What are you doing? This is the worst idea ever! But as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she felt relief.

"Why?" His voice came out calm and cool, even if inside he was flowing with delight.

Marie swallowed and fidgeted slightly. "Because I deserve it. And I feel guilty about everything I did and I want to feel like I earned my clean slate so I can really leave all of this behind."

Snape raised an eyebrow and sat back in his seat, his fingers tented as he thought about how to respond. Oh, he agreed. She definitely deserved it, but he had to be very careful how he proceeded.

"I see. And you do know what you're asking for? You have violated several of the most important rules. Several of which call for very severe punishments."

"I know."

"No, Ms. Cloutier, I don't think you do. All of the lies, and certainly putting your health at risk by starving yourself are both grave transgressions that each alone would earn you the harshest of punishments. And more than one. But I don't think that is the right approach."

What? All this talk and now he doesn't want to follow through? "I know, but I need to get rid of all of the guilt and feel like I'm really starting fresh. Please." Was she begging him to punish her? What the fuck! Pathetic!

"I see." Snape thought for a moment. "Very well, Ms. Cloutier. I will punish you, but I want you to recognize this is a special circumstance. Rather than having this be for specific infractions, this is a punishment for overall deplorable behavior, lack of honesty, and poor choices. When we're done, the slate is clean and we will not bring up the past again. Do you understand?"

Marie nodded. "Yes, sir."

"But just be aware that whatever you're about to receive, it is far far less than how I would have handled things if I'd been able to deal with you at the time."

Snape stood up and opened his top drawer, pulling out his ruler and setting it on his desk. "Stand up and remove your outer robes."

Marie fumbled to obey him, even though her legs felt like jelly and her hands were shaking as she attempted to undo the buttons on her robe. Is this really happening? Holy shit!

Snape slowly removed his robes and his frock coat, and he took a moment to dramatically roll the right sleeve of his white oxford, revealing more of his skin and the outline of his body than she'd ever seen. Without his heavy robes and coat, he was appeared thinner, but no less imposing. His shoulders were broad and his arms long and lean but well-defined, and his forearm pale but muscular. He picked up the ruler and pointed it in the direction the sofa before tucking it into the inside of his black waistcoat.

"Place yourself over the arm of the chesterfield."

Marie was staring at his arm and starting to dissociate slightly, so it took her a moment to register what he'd said, but before she could move or respond he had grasped her by the upper arm and was walking her to the sofa himself.

"When I tell you to do something, you do it. Immediately. This is particularly true when you're being disciplined. Next time you fail to follow an instruction, I will add to your punishment."

Tears were starting to fall already and Marie didn't know why. "Sorry." Was it fear? Anxiety? Relief? Whatever it was, she was overwhelmed and it hadn't even started yet.

"Bend over," Snape said sternly as he guided her upper body over the arm of the sofa.

Panic was starting to take over, and Marie wondered if it was too late to change her mind. She crossed her arms in front and laid her head on them. She could feel her ears and her cheeks burning red. He was right, just being in this position was humiliating on its own and she could feel a tingle in her bum even though he hadn't touched her yet.

Snape laid a firm hand on her back. "While I expect there will be tears, you will not scream, kick, or move out of position. You will also not use any rude or disrespectful language, and you will not put your hands back or do anything else to try and stop or avoid what is a very well-earned punishment. If you do, I will add to it. Do you understand?

"Yes, sir," Marie said, wanting to die of shame. She kept her face buried in her arms so she didn't have to look at him, praying it would all be over soon.

"Prepare yourself." He warned as he positioned himself to the side, enjoying this view of her very well-proportioned arse bent over for his correction. In general when he punished an adult witch in a context such as this, he tended to do so on their bare backsides. It was more severe, of course, and it certainly changed the power dynamic dramatically, but it also allowed him to better gauge his work so he could be appropriately harsh without doing unintended harm. But given that this was Marie's first time, he knew it was already going to be a lot for her to process, so he would bide his time.

He let the anticipation build for a moment before he brought his arm back and gave her an almighty crack across her right cheek. He put close to his full force into it, wanting her to know, right from the start, that he wasn't playing games. This wasn't supposed to be a fun or enjoyable experience, he was there to deliver justice.

HOLY HELL! Marie let out a yelp as the pain exploded across her bum, forcing her to dig her fingernails into her arm to keep herself from standing up or reaching back. It hurt far more than she imagined it would, but before she could fully soak it in, his hand came down on the left side, and she could feel what had to be two giant red handprints throbbing in unison on her backside. She hadn't known what to expect, but these were nothing like the short crisp smacks she'd seen him give Soren. Oh no, the man was clearly putting his whole arm into it, and this was no childish smacking, this was a serious punishment meant for a grown adult.

Snape didn't rush it, but after the first few hard cracks, he got into a good pace. After a good 20 smacks, which he'd delivered especially hard, he began to go a bit faster, knowing that the heat would build more quickly this way. Marie was crying now and struggling to stay in place, her upper body lifting as she writhed almost onto her side in an attempt to escape the fire that was now blazing in her hindquarters.

"Stay still," Snape growled, pushing his hand down on her back with more force before delivering six searing smacks right on top of each other, then repeating the same thing on the other side, which he knew would definitely get her attention.

"Oww!" Marie lifted her head up, tears pouring down her face. "Please, I'm so sorry! Please, Lord Kent, stop! It hurts so badly, please!" Why the fuck did you think this was a good idea! It hurts!

Snape paused for a moment to speak, giving her a small reprieve while he lectured her sternly. "It's supposed to hurt, Ms. Cloutier, it's a spanking. And an extremely well-deserved one at that." He bent down slightly so he could articulate his words near her ear. "We're not even close to being finished, so stay still. If you dare try to get up or reach back, your trousers and knickers will come down and we'll finish this on your bare backside." Frankly he wouldn't mind in the least, but he hoped for her sake she would heed his warnings.

"No, please," she begged breathlessly. Marie had wondered to herself all day if he'd spank her naked bum, and while it had seemed like an exciting thought at the time she was imagining it, there was no way in hell she wanted to lose the little protection her clothes offered now. The man's hand was like a giant paddle, and she was sure she wouldn't be able to sit for days as it was, she couldn't imagine how much worse it would be on her bare skin.

"Then control yourself." Snape pronounced harshly, giving her another few seconds before he brought his hand back, recommencing his rapid fire pace until Marie was sobbing into her arms, resigned and truly repentant. He'd given her a pretty hearty spanking, one he was sure she'd feel for at least the rest of the night and probably into tomorrow. But he was struggling to try to get this right— he knew it was her first time, so he didn't want to overdo it, at the same time it was meant to be memorable, and he wanted her to know that this was a real punishment, not just a fun little smack to fulfill her schoolgirl fantasies. No, he wanted it to be clear that if she misbehaved and broke his rules, she would pay dearly for it. It was meant to be a deterrent.

After another twenty seconds, and more smacks than she could count, Snape stopped and pulled out his ruler. "We're not through. That was a simple spanking with my hand, and one of the milder forms of punishment."

Mild? MILD? Has he lost his damn mind, my entire ass is on fire! Marie sobbed into her arms, using every fiber of her being not to reach back and rub. And what does he mean we're not through? "Please, Lord Kent, I'm so sorry, I can't take any more. I swear, I've learned my lesson. Please!"

Snape kept his face stoic and his voice calm but stern. "You can and you will. You have spent a lifetime getting away with breaking rules, lying, running yourself into the ground. You should be extremely grateful that you're getting away with a single spanking. Given the nature of some of your infractions, you deserve far more than what you're getting. I'm being extremely generous with you, so you will take it and thank me for caring enough to correct you."

He reached into the inside pocket of his waistcoat and pulled out his ruler. "Now then, to finish your punishment, I'm going to use my ruler. It will hurt, far more than my hand, and I want you to remember that this is what you can expect when you lie. If you ever deceive me again, you will not get the benefit of me using my hand, your entire punishment will be with my ruler or possibly even a belt. Keep that in mind."

Marie didn't think she could take much more and seriously contemplated apparating to a frozen lake somewhere where she could shove her entire arse into cold water until it was numb.

Snape pulled his arm back and let the ruler slam down across both cheeks. Marie let out a high-pitched cry and he went to work to deliver a good 15 strokes, giving each one a few seconds to sink in before he went onto the next one. He worked methodically, starting at the top and working down and finishing with a particularly painful strike to her thighs before repeating the pattern once more. He finished with three hard smacks to her sit spots, one right on top of the other to ensure she'd feel it every time she sat down for the next day.

Satisfied, Snape tucked the ruler back into his pocket, releasing the firm hold he had on her back and replacing it with a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. "It's finished, Ms. Cloutier. You may stand up, or take a moment if you wish."

Marie wasn't sure if she could move but she sure as hell didn't want to continue laying there in that humiliating position with her arse up in the air.

Realizing she was trying to get up, but was noticeably struggling, Snape took her gently by the arm and helped her stand, handing her a handkerchief as he did so. "Take deep breaths, Ms. Cloutier."

Marie knew she looked a mess, she'd been ugly crying and she was sure her face was all swollen and covered in snot and tears, but honestly the burning, throbbing pain in her arse was the only thing she could think about. She took the handkerchief, and then out of nowhere began to sob uncontrollably— not from pain—but from the release of an emotional floodgate somewhere deep inside.

Snape put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Sit down, Ms. Cloutier, and take a moment to compose yourself. You're experiencing an important emotional release, this is a very normal response to such an intense situation."

He walked over to the bar cart and poured a tumbler full of cool water and returned to find her still standing and sobbing into her hands. He hardened his voice. "Sit."

Still unable to compose herself enough to speak, Marie just shook her head.

"Ms. Cloutier," Snape grumbled in a low tone. "You will sit down this instant, it was not a request. You are working yourself up and I do not want you getting dizzy or fainting. You've been spanked, not flayed to ribbons, you will manage."

Recognizing the tone as one of final warning, and knowing she couldn't possibly take another round with his hand or his ruler, Marie lowered herself slowly onto the chesterfield, wincing as she made contact with the cool leather seat.

"Good girl," he said, softening his voice and handing her the crystal glass. "Now breathe. Slowly."

His words had the intended effect and Marie felt that warm euphoria wash over her, calming her considerably. She took several small sips of the water and wiped at her face until her tears stopped and her breathing slowed to a normal rate. It was the most bizarre feeling, even though her arse still felt like she'd sat in a pool of molten lava, she felt almost high. And free. Obviously some kind of endorphin rush, but it was destabilizing.

Snape stood patiently over her, giving her time to work through what had clearly been an overwhelming experience for her. When he noticed her body relax and her breath stopped hitching, he spoke in a quiet voice. "Look at me."

Marie was having a difficult time pulling her eyes off the floor, her embarrassment now at peak levels. She wasn't sure she could ever look the man in the eyes again. He spanked you. Hard. And you asked him to. And then you sobbed like a baby.

"Ms. Cloutier," came the warning tone as he plucked the empty tumbler out of her hand, floating it wordlessly back to the bar cart.

She finally dragged her eyes up to his, heat coursing through her face. "Yes, sir," she managed to say, the words getting caught slightly in a mix of mucus and tears that were now running down her throat.

Snape placed his hands behind his back and pulled himself to his full height before addressing her in a calm but firm tone. "I hope this punishment will remind you that your actions have consequences. As uncomfortable as it might be right now, I can assure you that the pain you feel is temporary. You have paid for your transgressions and your slate has been wiped clean, so now we will move forward. However it is my hope that this is not something you will soon forget, and I hope now you are clear on exactly what you can expect if you break my rules. Let's hope we won't need to repeat this anytime soon. Is there anything you would like to say?"

Yeah, thanks for turning my ass into hamburger meat! "No, sir. Just that I'm sorry again for everything, and I promise I'm going to do better. Believe me, I have no intention of ever having to repeat this."

"And?" He looked down at her with a stern face but a small flash of amusement in his eye that was so fleeting, she wasn't sure if she'd really seen it.

"And…that's all. I'm sorry."

"You should also thank me for taking the time to correct you."

Is he for real? He wants me to thank him for thoroughly beating my ass? But she wasn't about to get sassy with him now, that's for sure. "Thank you for taking the time to correct me, sir," she said in the most polite tone she could manage, although she wasn't fooling anyone.

Snape loved to hear it, a reminder that she had chosen this, but he could tell she was struggling to say the words, having not yet gotten to a place where she could appreciate what he was offering her. No doubt that had been a shock to her system, and far more painful than she anticipated, even if from his perspective it wasn't even close to being as harsh as it could have been. But he hoped he'd struck the right balance between making it memorable, and painful enough to be a deterrent without pushing her to the point where she felt it was unreasonable or made her want to break her contract. He was sure she'd feel quite differently about it all in a few hours.

"You're quite welcome, Ms. Cloutier. I hope this lesson will not be soon forgotten, however, just know that I will not hesitate to repeat it when necessary. Now then, for the rest of your punishment."

What? There's more! Marie prayed she would survive it.

"First, you will go to your room for the rest of the evening. Take a bath if you'd like or do something else that will help you unwind and relax, you've just gone through a very intense physical and emotional experience. Give yourself time and space to process it, and if you need to speak with me about it at any point, just know that my door will always be open to you. If not, I will not bring it up again. Once you've been punished, that's the end of it as far as I'm concerned."

Marie nodded. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

"Then, I want you to write me an essay. Nothing long, and certainly not tonight, but I want you to write about a moment in your life when you felt you did not receive the love or care you needed and deserved. And how that made you feel. You have until this weekend to complete your assignment. I expect to have it by the time we meet on Sunday evening."

Marie stared at him. What the hell kind of assignment is that? Is he a therapist now? But she managed to eke out a perfunctory "Yes, sir" even if she wasn't thrilled about it.

"Finally, I would like to say that I am proud of you for being brave enough to ask to be punished. I know that was difficult to take, and likely far more uncomfortable than you imagined it would be, but hopefully now you can release yourself from the guilt and shame you were carrying and know that this is all truly behind you. I imagine right now you are questioning your decision, but I promise you that you'll look back later and be glad you took this step. People, like steel, are forged through fire. But at the end of this, you'll come out stronger and better equipped to live the life you've dreamed of and that you deserve. Be proud of yourself."

Marie had so many conflicting feelings she didn't even know how to deal with them, but his words of support overwhelmed her and she started to cry again.

He reached his hand out to help her stand, and she immediately wrapped her arms around him, desperate for him to return the embrace. "Thank you," she sobbed into his chest, taking comfort in his warmth and the way he smelled, breathing him in and not wanting to let go.

Snape had not expected that, but he placed a single arm lightly around her shoulders and allowed her a few moments to sob into him. When she started to calm down, he patted her twice. "It's all over, now."

Marie longed for him to hug her back properly, but she realized she wouldn't be getting anything more than the cautious arm draped lightly around her, so she pulled back, her body immediately feeling empty as she did. She wiped her face with the handkerchief and then realized she'd left embarrassing wet marks on his waistcoat and shirt. "Sorry about your clothes."

"It's nothing,." With a wave of his hand, his clothes returned to their pristine condition. He walked over to where she'd left her robes over the back of the chair and picked them up before handing them back to her. "Goodnight, Ms. Cloutier. Lights out before 11pm," he reminded her with a stern look, not that she would dare disobey him in the state she was in at the moment.

"Goodnight, Lord Kent."

With all of the dignity she could muster, Marie held her head high and walked to the door, opened it and stepped out into the hallway before closing it quietly behind her. But as soon as she heard the door click, her hands flew back to try to soothe the raging inferno still blazing in her backside.

As soon as she got to her room, Marie vanished her clothes, desperate to take a look at what she was sure was her thoroughly beaten bum.

She peered over her shoulder to look in the bathroom mirror. Oh, her entire backside was a good solid shade of deep red, and she could vaguely see the fat red lines from the bloody ruler that were laid down perfectly one after the other, but it wasn't nearly as bad as she was expecting. She'd expected to see it purple and black, but there was nothing there that looked remotely like it would leave a bruise.

It was almost impressive, the man clearly knew what he was doing, and she was dying to know why he had so much experience with this particular skill. He'd hinted that he'd done these kinds of "plans" with other people before and she hoped one day she'd learn more. Who were these other witches? Where were they now? Was he a professional ass beater? Did people pay him? Don't be absurd, he's not a fucking gigalo, Marie, for Merlin's sake. Besides, he clearly doesn't need the money. He probably just beats asses for fun.

When she put her hand on her bum, she could feel the heat radiating off of it, but even now the intensity of the sting was fading slightly and she could already feel that deep warmth starting to take over.

She turned the taps on the giant tub, and began to run herself a bath, adding some oils and salts that she hoped would soothe her skin and muscles. He had forbidden her to heal herself, but these were purely for relaxation, no potions or other magic was involved.

As she laid back in the tub, her head resting on her bath pillow, she replayed the entire scene in her mind, alternating between pure embarrassment and something she could only describe as lust.

After her bath, dried herself with a spell, and crawled naked on her stomach into her sheets, shocked to realize that even though her backside was still throbbing and hot, it was starting to become more pleasant now. She closed her eyes and thought of his face and imagined him holding her, caressing her skin, whispering into her ear as he held her and soothed her. She felt deep shame as her hand snaked down to touch herself, but she couldn't stop. Images of his face, his hands and the memory of his scent and his voice all replayed themselves in her mind fueling her imagination.

The next morning Marie woke-up still nude in her bed, having passed out completely after indulging herself last night, a blush creeping over her face at the memory of it all. You're a deviant, Marie, what the actual hell. But it was the best night of sleep she'd had in ages, and she awoke feeling more rested than she had in years, a new energy surging through her, like everything was going to be alright, that she had a fresh lease on life.

Before she put on her clothes, she went to check out her bum in the mirror, disappointed that it was only pink, although when she pressed on it, it still felt quite tender and her skin was taut when she moved. She almost felt embarrassed for sobbing and carrying on like she had, but in her defense it had been intensely painful while it was going on, even if it was clear now that he'd taken care not to overdo it. She would still scoff at the idea that it had been a mild punishment. Even if she'd never been spanked before in her life, she wasn't stupid, he hadn't skimped at all on delivering an extremely thorough punishment, and despite the pleasant aftermath she'd enjoyed a few hours later, she was in no rush to find herself in a similar position again any time soon.

Despite it all—or perhaps because of it—Marie had an extra bounce in her step this morning as she got dressed and put up her hair, a genuine smile plastered on her face as she made her way down to the parlor.

When she saw Lord Kent sitting there, she felt a combination of excitement and embarrassment, she had not expected to face him this early, he was usually already gone from the parlor by the time she went out for her walk.

Snape looked up from the paper, greeting her as he would any other day. "Good morning, Ms. Cloutier. I trust you slept well?"

Just the sound of his voice and the look in his eye triggered a flush up her neck. Good going, Marie. How subtle of you. Act normal, you idiot! He's going to think you're a head case! "Yes, I did, thank you. I took your advice and had a nice bath and went right to bed after, it was the best sleep I've had in ages."

"I'm pleased to hear that." He was careful not to mention what had transpired the night before, per se, but he wanted to make sure she was OK, although he could tell by the look of her that she'd benefited enormously from his special attention last night. She was glowing and her eyes were brighter than he'd ever seen them, and there was an extra pep in her step that delighted him. If he was honest with himself, he found this even more exhilarating than the discipline he doled out the night before. He enjoyed seeing the fruits of his labor; he loved knowing that rather than sour and angry, she'd awoken this morning feeling refreshed, cleansed, and lighter than she had before. It was intensely satisfying.

"Well, I'm off to take my walk." Marie tried not to blush more, but her stupid body betrayed her and she could feel her ears burning knowing that he was probably scrutinizing her every move to ensure she'd survived her first dose of discipline. She tried not to think about it and buttoned up her warm robes before heading toward the door.

"Enjoy yourself." He gave her a rare look of approval. Not quite a smile, not with his lips at least, but his eyes shone with pride and encouragement.

Marie's heart exploded with joy as she wrapped the scarf around her neck and walked out the back door, practically skipping along the path, her cheeks hurting from her perpetual smile.

Snape breathed a sigh of relief and headed to the dungeons. He'd waited on Marie this morning, worried she might be upset or angry. He'd been tempted to check on her last night before going to sleep, but didn't want to over-reach, figuring she might need time to sort through her feelings after such an event. He hadn't been quite sure when she left his study last night if he had pushed her too far, or if perhaps the reality of his discipline had not lived up to whatever she had imagined in her head. But now he had no doubt, she had clearly responded in a positive way and even his cold heart flickered with a bit of hope.

Satisfied that Marie was perfectly alright, he forced himself to shift his attention to the most important task at hand. If only he could figure out an answer to this blasted paternity potion, he might finally get his life and his house back in some kind of order.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Welp, it finally happened! Tell me everything!