Via Reuben first met Clarissa Cooke on a sweltering late August morning when the Hogwarts staff assembled for a start-of-term staff meeting.
"I'd like to welcome our new Potions teacher, Clarissa Cooke," Minerva McGonagall said, sitting at the head of the table in the staff room. "Clarissa studied at Ilvermorny and has been Assistant Potionsmistress there for the past three years. I'm sure you'll all join me in making her very welcome."
Via wasn't sure she'd call Clarissa 'beautiful' in the same way she'd described Alicja Nowak back in the day, but she thought 'pretty' was a good descriptor. Via had always had a thing for pretty girls. Clarissa looked very traditionally feminine, with wavy blonde hair which fell just below her shoulders, deep brown eyes and soft pink lips. She wore deep indigo robes which looked plain and simple at first glance, but Via quickly noticed the elaborately embroidered cuffs, filled with butterflies, bumblebees and rainbows.
When they broke for coffee, everyone hurried over to welcome Clarissa. Via hung back, not wanting to appear too keen. After a few minutes, she noticed the new teacher hadn't managed to get up and get a coffee. Via got up, fetched two coffees and walked over to Clarissa.
"I see everyone's being so welcoming they haven't let you get a coffee yet," she said, setting one of the drinks down in front of Clarissa and sitting down beside her.
"Thanks," Clarissa said, smiling. She had a beautiful smile, Via thought.
"I'm Via Reuben – Muggle Studies," she asked.
"Via – I haven't heard that name before," Clarissa said. Via noticed that her accent was definitely English, rather than American, despite her schooling.
"It's short for Octavia," Via found herself confessing.
"I like it – it's pretty," Clarissa said, sipping her coffee.
Via pulled a face – she may be attracted to pretty women, but it was the last thing she aspired to herself. Clarissa laughed, and Via found herself falling in love with her rich, warm, happy laugh.
"So, what brings you to Hogwarts?" Via asked.
"Split up with my partner, and then things were a bit awkward," Clarissa shrugged. "So I decided to come home."
"You're not American, then?" Via asked.
Clarissa shook her head. "Born and bred in Herefordshire," she said. "My parents taught me at home because they were worried about safety at Hogwarts after the War. When I got older, I begged them to let me go away to school, so they let me have three years at Ilvermorny and then I stayed on to work there."
"Was your partner a teacher too?" Via asked. Then she realised that was quite a personal question for someone you'd only just met. "Sorry, personal question. Consider it redacted."
Clarissa laughed. "It's alright," she said. "No, we were in the same year at school, and after we graduated, she stayed living nearby."
Via wondered whether her ears were deceiving her, or whether Clarissa had just referred to her ex-partner as 'she'. Over the years, Via had resigned herself to straightness being the norm and most of her crushes being unrequited. But if Clarissa had dated a woman previously then just maybe there would be a chance for her. It was a start, at least.
Professor Flitwick came over to introduce himself just then, and Via gave Clarissa a final smile and then went back to her seat. She was determined, however, to befriend the new Potions teacher.
In the weeks that followed, the two young women often sought each other out. They were among the youngest members of staff and had a lot in common. They often sat together at mealtimes in the Great Hall and spent time together when they were off duty at weekends.
"You know what I really regret about not having been a student at Hogwarts?" Clarissa said when they were walking back from a Quidditch match together one Saturday in October. "I don't have a House. I mean, I have an Ilvermorny House, but that's no good to me here."
Via considered. She knew if she could help Clarissa get a Hogwarts House, it might bring them closer together. Besides, she wanted to help her friend.
"I know I could just pick one," Clarissa continued, "but I wouldn't be... you know, proper."
Via did know. The only way to properly get a Hogwarts House was to be Sorted by the Sorting Hat. An idea occurred to her.
"I'll get you a Hogwarts House," she declared.
"How-" Clarissa began, but Via was already hurrying off.
"I'll catch you later," she said.
Via knew Minerva had been at the Quidditch match, so knew she'd be somewhere around. Sure enough, the headmistress was sitting at the Staff table, having an early lunch. Via walked in and sat beside her.
"Minerva..." she said tentatively. "May I ask a favour?"
"You may certainly ask," Minerva said wryly, but with a twinkle in her eye.
"I was wondering if I could have use of your office for half an hour or so this evening," Via ventured.
"May I ask why?" Minerva asked curiously.
"Clarissa's upset that she doesn't have a House," Via explained. "I thought perhaps we could pay the Sorting Hat a visit and see if it would Sort her... do you think it would?"
"The Hat has been known to have conversations with people between Sortings," Minerva said, "so I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to ask. I'm going to Pomona's for dinner so you have my blessing to use my office whilst I'm out. I changed the password things morning – the new one is 'Ginger Newts'."
"Thank you, Minerva," Via said gratefully.
"You and Clarissa are becoming close," Minerva observed.
"Not as close as I'd like," Via sighed, more to herself than to Minerva.
Clarissa was intrigued when she got back to her office and found a note from Via asking to meet her in the Entrance Hall at seven. There was no context given, no extra information, just that simple message.
At seven o'clock, Clarissa made her way up to the Entrance Hall. Most students were just finishing dinner and there was still a party atmosphere amongst the Hufflepuffs after their win earlier. Once again, Clarissa found herself longing for the sense of community having a House would bring.
She spotted Via coming down the stairs. She really was beautiful, Clarissa thought, with her dark pixie cut, glittering green eyes and hourglass figure. She wondered, not for the first time, whether there was a non-embarrassing way she could find out if Via was gay.
"You got my note, then?" Via grinned.
"Yes – all very mysterious," Clarissa replied. "What are we doing?"
"You'll see," Via said irritatingly. "Come on."
Clarissa followed her back upstairs – all the way to the third floor. They stopped outside the gargoyle which guarded the Headmistress' office.
"You're taking me to see Minerva? – what have I done wrong?" Clarissa asked.
"Don't worry – she's out," Via said. "Ginger Newts."
The gargoyle sprang back, revealing the revolving staircase which led up to Minerva's office.
"So what, we're just breaking into her office?" Clarissa asked. "Why?"
"I've got permission," Via said indignantly. "Let's go." She stepped onto the staircase and started moving upwards. Clarissa followed her. She had only been the headmistress' office once before. It was full of interesting things and Clarissa spent a few minutes just looking around. She noticed a large cat basket near the fire.
"Does Minerva have a cat?" she asked.
Via laughed. "She is a cat?" she said. "She's an animagus – didn't you know?"
Clarissa hadn't known. "So, why are we here?" she asked.
"For this," Via said. She walked over to a shelf on the wall and took down the patched, faded Sorting Hat.
"What, what-?" Clarissa began, but before she could protest, Via had placed the Hat on her head.
"Have a conversation – it doesn't hurt to ask," Via said.
"We haven't met before, Clarissa Cooke," said a new voice, directly into her ear, directly into her brain. "You want to be Sorted, eh? I daresay I can manage that. Well, you've been here long enough to have some idea where you think I should put you."
'Ravenclaw,' Clarissa found herself thinking.
"Ravenclaw, eh?" the Hat asked. "Well, there's no denying there's brains in here... but I think your reason for wanting to be in Ravenclaw is a rather Hufflepuffish reason... yes, there's only one place you belong: HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Hat shouted the last word aloud and Clarissa looked over at Via, who was smiling.
"There you go – you have a House!" she said triumphantly.
'Thank you,' Clarissa thought at the Hat.
She received a, "You're welcome," in reply before she lifted it from her head.
Impulsively, Clarissa hugged Via. She would've liked to kiss her too, but didn't want to ruin their friendship.
"Thank you for orchestrating this," Clarissa said.
"No worries," Via shrugged. "So, your House won at Quidditch today, then, huh?"
"Yeah," Clarissa grinned. Only a few minutes ago she'd thought she wanted to be in Ravenclaw, but now she already found her loyalty toward Hufflepuff growing.
Clarissa wondered what that look she saw in Via's eyes was. For a moment, she thought Via looked like she was as attracted to Clarissa as Clarissa was to her. Then Via looked away and the moment was gone."Right," she said. "We better not trespass in Minerva's office any longer."
"I thought she gave you permission," Clarissa said, following Via from the office and down the revolving spiral staircase. "Via! I thought you said she gave you permission!"
Over the next few months, Via and Clarissa grew even closer. Via found her feelings for her colleague growing ever stronger. She couldn't tell whether the feelings were reciprocated. She rather thought they were, and yet... something was holding her back from acting on them.
One Saturday early in December, the two of them were doing some Christmas shopping in Hogsmeade. It wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend for students, so the place was quieter than usual.
"Who have you got to buy for?" Clarissa asked.
"Not many people," Via said. "Just my parents really. I don't buy for extended family – my mum still puts my name on the gifts she gives. How about you?"
"Yeah, just my parents left," Clarissa said. "I already sent some things to friends from America."
"You're organised!" Via said.
"I had to be – you have to send stuff to Liverpool by owl, then it goes on a boat across the Atlantic, then onto its final destination again. Tomorrow's the last posting date for Christmas."
"I'd never thought of that," Via said.
"Hey, what's this I hear about Filius' Christmas drinks?" Clarissa asked. "Every time it's mentioned, everyone laughs like there's some big joke."
Via grinned. "There's no joke really," she said. "It's just that Filius can't hold his drink, like at all. And even Minerva lets her hair down a little after a couple of sherries. It's a great night... unless you're on escort duty the next morning with a hangover."
"Do people dress up?" Clarissa asked.
Via nodded. "Dress robes, some of the women wear dresses – not me, I don't do dresses." She pulled a face.
Clarissa laughed. "I think you'd look stunning in a dress."
"Doubt it," Via said, blushing and turning away.
"Via-" Clarissa reached for her hand and then swore. "Your fingers are freezing on my wrist! Where are your gloves?"
"Lost 'em," Via shrugged.
Clarissa tutted and shook her head. "Here," she took off a glove and handed it to Via. "Put it on your other hand."
Via did as she was told and then Clarissa's gloveless hand reached for Via's gloveless hand again.
They held hands for the rest of the shopping trip.
Clarissa spent a long time getting ready for Filius' Christmas drinks. As she put on her forest green knee-length dress and matching clock with red silk lining, she found herself wondering what Via would think of her outfit. Then she shook herself.
"Why does it matter what Via thinks?" she asked her reflection.
"Because you're in love with her, dearie," the mirror replied.
"Yes, but what's the point – she might not even be gay," Clarissa retorted.
"She might be," the mirror said.
Clarissa did her hair and makeup slowly, thinking about Via. They'd definitely had a moment, right, holding hands in Hogsmeade? They hadn't spoken about it since, but surely Via must've felt something too. Maybe they would get a chance to talk tonight.
Clarissa checked her watch and decided it was time to head up to Filius' office. Drawing her cloak more tightly around her, she left the warmth of her office for the cold stone corridor outside. Because of the cold, she made her way quickly up through the castle – as quickly as her heels would allow, anyway.
As she turned into the Charms corridor, Clarissa heard wolf whistling. She looked up, expecting to see a group of students, but it was Via. She blushed, continuing slowly down the corridor so the two of them met just outside Filius' office.
Via was wearing dress robes made from a glittery black material. The style was simple and figure hugging and she looked gorgeous. Clarissa told her as much.
Now it was Via's turn to blush. "I don't look half as gorgeous as you," she said.
"Well, I think we both look stunning," Clarissa said firmly, offering Via her arm. "We'll be turning heads at this party for sure."
Even as she said this, Clarissa thought she'd already turned the only head she was interested in here. She walked into the party, arm in arm with Via.
The party was much as Via had described; loud and raucous with plenty of alcohol. Filius got drunk very quickly, and spent much of his time trying to ply everyone with more and more drinks. Clarissa danced with everyone, including to a slow song with Via where they gazed into each other's eyes and said nothing; the music at times was too loud to hear yourself think, let alone speak.
By the time the party broke up, around midnight, Clarissa was fairly sure everyone had had far too much to drink; she was definitely sure she had. They all headed back to their own rooms, trying and failing to be quiet. Clarissa got halfway down the corridor and spotted Via a little way ahead of her.
"Via!" she called. "You're going the wrong way!"
Via turned around, saw Clarissa, and giggled. "I know!" she said. "I'm walking you back downstairs!"
"You have to wait for me, then!" Clarissa grinned.
Via giggled again. Her giggle was as beautiful as the rest of her, Clarissa thought. "Oh yeah..." Via said sheepishly, stopping to let Clarissa catch up. When Clarissa reached her, Via flung her arm around Clarissa's shoulder and they walked uncoordinatedly down the corridor, giggling and talking about the party.
"My feet are killing me!" Clarissa said as they reached the bottom of the first flight of stairs.
"Take your shoes off, then," Via suggested, looking down at Clarissa's heels.
"My feet will freeze!" Clarissa protested.
"I'll conjure you up some socks!" Via declared.
She flicked her wand and two little dresses appeared, one pink and one yellow.
"Whoops!" Via giggled. She vanished the frocks and tried again. This time, a large cardboard box appeared. A second later, the box was replaced by two large stones.
"Never mind – don't worry," Clarissa said, laying a restraining hand on Via's arm – she was worried a fox might be coming next.
"One more try – I've got this," Via insisted. Sure enough, the stones were soon replaced with a pair of large, fluffy, blue socks. Clarissa sat down on the bottom step and exchanged shoes for socks. She picked up her heels and the two of them carried on, down through the Entrance Hall and down to the dungeons. When they reached the door to Clarissa's office, they paused.
"Are you travelling back to Hogwarts on the London Express tomorrow?" Via asked Clarissa. "No, wait, something's wrong with my words there."
Clarissa laid a hand on her arm. "It's okay. I understand what you meant. Yeah, I thought I would," she said. "I'm not on duty, but my parents aren't expecting me until the evening, so I might as well."
"Me too," Via said. She glanced up as she spoke. "Mistletoe..." she said vaguely.
Clarissa looked up. Sure enough, one of the many sprigs of mistletoe used to decorate the castle for Christmas was directly above her office door. Clarissa looked into Via's eyes, her hand still on her arm.
If you asked them afterwards, both Clarissa and Via would deny being the one to step forward and close the last six inches of space between them. Nevertheless, their lips met, and they shared their first drunken kiss in a cold dungeon corridor at one in the morning.
They drew apart slightly, and Via brushed her thumb across Clarissa's cheek. "You have such a pretty mouth..." she murmured.
Then they were kissing again, hungrily, greedily, arms around each other in a desperate embrace. They jostled against the office door and it flew open. Still kissing, Via and Clarissa stumbled into the room and made for the sofa. They landed heavily, laughed, and resumed kissing. Clarissa found herself on top of Via, still kissing. Via reached for the straps of Clarissa's dress and Clarissa pushed her away gently.
"Via, we're so drunk..." she said. "I want you... but not like this."
Via sighed heavily, now sitting beside Clarissa on the sofa.
"I want to... love you..." she said confusedly. "So beautiful... so..." Her head dropped back and she let out so loud a snore Clarissa was sure it must be fake.
"Via?" she said, but Via was sound asleep.
Giggling quietly to herself, Clarissa got up and found a blanket. She shook it out and laid it over Via.
"Sweet dreams," she whispered, planting a kiss on Via's cheek and then retreating to her bedroom. She just about managed to take off her dress and put on her pyjamas before she fell into a deep sleep.
When Clarissa awoke the next morning, Via was gone. The blanket was neatly folded, and a note lay on top of it.
'Well... that was a night. Take a walk with me rather than going on the train? Meet me in the Entrance Hall once all the students have gone?'
Memories of last night came flooding back in a tangled, disordered mess: Via conjuring up socks, Via wolf whistling her in the corridor, kissing under the mistletoe, dancing to a slow song, kissing on the sofa...
Clarissa groaned and headed over to her own personal potion supply.
Via waited in the Entrance Hall, feeling unaccountably nervous. She was just meeting Clarissa to talk – what was there to be nervous about? Her head was pounding and a large part of her just wanted to go back to bed. Probably, that's what she'd do if Clarissa didn't show up. Her parents weren't expecting her until this evening; she could just walk to gates later and apparate away.
Clarissa came up the steps from the dungeons. She was wearing the same robes with the embroidered cuffs which she'd worn to the staff meeting in the summer. She also wore a heavy grey travelling cloak which looked so warm and inviting that Via felt she wanted to crawl underneath it with Clarissa. She shook herself slightly.
"Here," Clarissa said as she reached Via, holding out a flask she was carrying.
"What's this?" Via asked, accepting it and peering curiously inside.
"Hangover cure," Clarissa grinned. "My own recipe. It's like magic, or something."
Via didn't need any more encouragement. She tipped her head back and down the contents of the flask in one. Immediately, a pleasant warm flowed through her, right down to the tips of her toes. The headache cleared, as instantly and completely as wiping a blackboard clean, and she suddenly felt ten times better.
"You are some potioneer," Via told Clarissa.
"I have my uses," Clarissa grinned.
They walked down through the grounds together, barely talking. Via wasn't quite sure what to say. She wondered how much Clarissa remembered from the night before – in fact, she wondered how complete her own memory was. They passed through the wrought iron gates and, with one accord, took the path which led to Hogsmeade village.
"Clarissa, about last night," Via began, deciding it was time she laid all her cards on the table. "I know we were really drunk but... I'd do it all again if we were sober – well, I'd want to anyway. I really like you – falling in love with you, even."
When Clarissa didn't reply straight away, Via began to worry she'd blown it. What if the feelings weren't reciprocated? Then she'd made a fool of herself – both last night and this morning – and all for nothing.
"I... I really like you too," Clarissa said eventually, in a hesitant, halting voice. "I just... I'm scared."
"What are you scared of?" Via said tentatively.
"My ex and I were really good friends for nearly two years before we got together," Clarissa explained. "Then when we broke up, I didn't only lose my girlfriend; I lost my best friend. It was so hard, being at Ilvermony, being in all the places where we'd spent time together. That's why I ended up leaving. I just... I'm scared that might happen with us."
Via wasn't quite sure what to say to that. It was a legitimate fear – it would be awkward if they dated and then broke up. Via would hate to lose Clarissa as a friend, and yet... she wanted more.
She took Clarissa's hand. "I want you, Clarissa," she said.
"What if it doesn't work out?" Clarissa asked quietly.
"But what if it does?" Via responded.
Clarissa stopped walking and turned to face Via. Her free hand came to rest on Via's shoulder as she stepped forward and kissed her. This second kiss was gentler, tenderer, more exploratory. They lingered over it, and when they finally broke apart, Via drew Clarissa close to her. Clarissa rested her head on Via's shoulder and sighed contentedly.
There was a long pause before either of them spoke.
"I think I could live with the 'what if we'd just stayed friends?' question," Via said eventually. "But if we did just stay friends, I think I'd always be wondering 'what if we'd given it a go?'."
"I want to try..." Clarissa said, looking up at Via with her deep brown eyes.
Via bent her head and kissed her again. "Me too," she grinned.
"So, where do we go from here?" Clarissa asked, straightening up away from Via – how Via longed to have her in her arms again! – and taking her hand instead.
"Why don't we go on a proper date in the holidays?" Via suggested as they continued walking, hand in hand. "I'll plan something – I'll write to you."
"Alright," Clarissa agreed.
Via wanted to kiss her again, but decided to wait. They walked in a companionable silence for a while, and then Clarissa launched into a tale about her incompetent third years.
"Has a potions professor ever banned an entire class from brewing potions before?" Clarissa wound up.
Via laughed. "It probably wouldn't hurt to make them just do written work and theory and observe you for a week or so in January," she said. "It would probably wake them up a bit. And you can't do worse than your predecessor."
"Oh?" Clarissa said. She got the impression that the man who'd held the position before her had not been well-liked, and had left under a bit of a cloud, but no one had ever spelled out exactly what he'd done.
"He had a penchant for using hexes as discipline," Via told her.
"What?!" Clarissa was dumbfounded. "How did he get away with that?"
"He didn't," Via replied. "As soon as Minerva found out, she suggested he resign before she sacked him. It had been going on for some time, though, but the students were either too scared to speak out, or just thought it was normal."
"I bet Minerva was fuming," Clarissa said.
Via nodded. "You've seen her shout, right? Well, when she gets really angry, she goes quiet. It's somehow even scarier. So, Stuart left a week before exams, and we all cobbled something together until the end of term. I think everything that happened is part of your issue with your third years – they're unfamiliar with the freedom, and used to being kept in line by fear."
That made a lot of sense. Clarissa wished someone had told her all this in September.
They had reached the edge of the village now, and Clarissa turned and looked back at the picturesque shops and houses, with the castle looming in the background.
"Hogsmeade's so pretty," she sighed. "I'd love to live here someday – a little cottage, or a flat over a shop. I could walk to work each day..." Unbidden, she found her thoughts wandering to living here with Via. She was getting ahead of herself.
"Do you want to walk anymore?" Via asked.
Clarissa considered. She wanted to spend more time with Via, of course, but it was cold out here and she wanted to get home to her family too.
"Maybe not," she said eventually. "I should probably get going. But I'll look out for your letter. This date better be somewhere warm!"
"It will be," Via promised. "Goodbye, then."
"Goodbye," Clarissa echoed. She gave Via a peck on the cheek, turned and disapparated.
Via waited for Clarissa in a quiet park in her hometown two days after Christmas. Her parents had moved whilst she was at Hogwarts, but nowhere had ever felt like home quite like this place did. She still stayed with her parents in the holidays, but their house had never been her home.
Via spotted Clarissa whilst she was still a long way off. She got to her feet as her friend approached – how she hoped they'd be more than friends by the end of this date!
"Merry Christmas!" Clarissa called out as she got closer.
"Merry Christmas!" Via echoed, hugging her. "How was your Christmas?"
"Good, thanks," Clarissa nodded. "Turkey dramas, drunk uncles, food comas, the usual."
Via laughed. Her own Christmas had been similar.
"So, what do you have planned?" Clarissa asked.
"A proper Muggle first date," Via grinned. "Well... a little more sophisticated, perhaps. Have you ever been to the cinema?"
Clarissa shook her head. "No – I've heard of it, though. Are we going to the cinema?"
"Uh-huh," Via said. "And then afternoon tea by the river afterwards. How does that sound?"
"Perfect," Clarissa said, reaching for Via's hand as they started walking out of the park. "Via! Your hands are freezing!" she said. "I was going to give you your Christmas present later, but you need it now. Here."
She reached into an inside pocket of her robes and pulled out a neatly wrapped squashy parcel and handed it to Via. When Via opened it, she found a pair of knitted mittens, a deep indigo colour with a beautiful cable pattern on them.
"Now your hands won't be so cold," Clarissa told her.
"Thanks – they're gorgeous," Via said, putting them on and discovering the mitten part covering the fingers flipped open to convert into fingerless gloves. "Wow – these are so cool! Did you make them?"
"Uh-huh," Clarissa nodded. "They're charmed, too, to keep your hands extra warm."
Via whistled. "She knits, she embroiders, she charms knitwear, she brews cracking hangover cures – are there no end to this woman's talents?"
Clarissa laughed and gave Via a playful push. The two of them left the park hand in hand. Via noticed Clarissa had a pair of gloves too, only hers were a bright Hufflepuff yellow.
"I haven't bought tickets yet," Via told Clarissa as they reached the cinema, "but there are two films starting in about twenty minutes that we can choose from. There's Happy Feet 2 – an animated film featuring dancing penguins – or The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – a thriller. Which do you fancy?"
"Let's go childish," Clarissa said decisively.
"Happy Feet it is," Via agreed, and the two of them joined the queue for tickets.
Once they'd got their tickets, Via led Clarissa over to the concessions stand.
"What do you want to eat?" Via asked. "Popcorn, pick and mix?"
"You're plying me with sweet food now and again later? Are you trying to rot my teeth?" Clarissa demanded with a grin.
Via laughed. "Alright, how about nachos, then?"
"Oooh, they have nachos?" Clarissa asked. "I haven't had those for ages! I used to have them all the time in the States, but they don't seem to be a thing around here – at least not in the Wizarding World."
Via bought a large tray of nachos and drinks too, and then the two of them headed into their screen and sat down.
Via enjoyed the film and she was pretty sure Clarissa did too – she certainly laughed enough. Part way through the film, Via did the classic 'stretching' move and put her arm around Clarissa. Clarissa snuggled closer and rested her head against Via's shoulder. They stayed like that for the rest of the film.
When the house lights came up, Via turned and kissed Clarissa on the forehead.
"How was your first ever cinema experience?" she asked her.
"Good, but now my neck hurts," Clarissa grinned, straightening up and massaging her neck.
"I could kiss it better?" Via suggested, getting to her feet and offering Clarissa a hand up.
"You're welcome to try," Clarissa shrugged. Via took her at her word, covering her pretty little neck with tiny, tender kisses, a moment of intimacy despite the noise and busyness of the cinema.
"Better?" Via asked eventually, reluctantly stepping back.
"Not really," Clarissa laughed.
Via laughed too. "It was worth a try," she said. "Ready for our afternoon tea?"
The two of them left the cinema arm in arm, and ten minutes later were sitting down at a window table in a riverside tearoom.
"This is lovely," Clarissa sighed contentedly. "How did you find this place?"
"I grew up around here," Via explained. "My parents moved when I was fifteen, but nowhere else has ever felt like home; even though I haven't lived her for more than a decade, it's still home."
Their tea arrived – a pot of tea and a tall cake stand filled with sandwiches, cakes and scones.
"I think I've died and gone to heaven," Clarissa said. "This is amazing, Via."
As they ate, they chatted about family and work. Once both of them declared they couldn't eat another thing, Via suggested a walk along the river. They hadn't been walking very long when the first flakes of snow began to fall.
"We better not walk for too long," Clarissa said.
"Hey, with these charmed gloves I could walk all day," Via grinned. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot – I've got your Christmas present." She reached into her cloak pocket and produced a present which was far less neatly wrapped than Clarissa's present to her had been.
She watched as Clarissa opened the gift – a Muggle children's book Via had been telling her about, and some American candy Clarrisa had mentioned missing. The look on Clarissa's face showed Via her effort had been appreciated.
"I know what I'll be doing this evening," Clarissa grinned. "Feet up, making a start on this-" she held up the book "-and making a good start on these-" she held up the sweets.
"You mean you've got room for more sweet stuff tonight?" Via asked incredulously.
Clarissa laughed. "Maybe not."
They walked a little further, then Via stopped and took Clarissa's hands.
"So... are you my girlfriend now?" she asked tentatively. It wasn't so much that she needed a label put on it – more that she longed for the confirmation that this wasn't just a one-time thing.
"If you like," Clarissa nodded, and Via kissed her. When they broke apart, Clarissa said, "We... we don't need to broadcast this at school, right? It's not that I don't want anyone to know about us, just... it's very new, and..."
"I get it," Via nodded. "I think maybe it'd be polite to let Minerva know, though."
"Alright, but you're doing the talking," Clarissa said.
Via laughed. "You're not scared of her, are you?"
"Not scared..." Clarissa said. "But... she can be a bit intimidating."
"Yeah, but she's got a heart of gold," Via said. "Well, red and gold, perhaps."
Clarissa giggled, and Via kissed her again. Honestly, she could've kissed her all day, but the snow was falling more heavily now and she knew it was time they both headed home. Reluctantly, she stepped back.
"Are you on escort duty when we go back?" she asked.
"No," Clarissa shook her head.
"I'm not either," Via said. "Want to get back to Hogwarts in time to have lunch together? Maybe spent the afternoon together too if we don't have too much to do?"
"It's a date," Clarissa grinned. She turned back and looked at their footprints which marked the way they had come. They were fast disappearing under fresh snowfall. "It's a good thing it's still snowing," Clarissa said. "Can you imagine what someone would think if they came along and saw two sets of footprints just stopping abruptly?"
"I can," Via agreed. She kissed Clarissa again and then turned away. "Have a good rest of your holidays," she said. "See you on the fifth." Then she turned on the spot and disapperated.
Clarissa and Via enjoyed a leisurely lunch together on the day before term started, in Via's office up on the sixth floor. Afterwards, they cuddled together on the sofa in front of the fire, alternating chatting and kissing.
Mid-afternoon, Via suggested they go and talk to Minerva.
"But I'm so comfy..." Clarissa protested. She was lying on the sofa with her head in Via's lap. Via had been enjoying playing with her hair.
Via laughed and leant down to plant a kiss on Clarissa's forehead. "We can come back here afterwards," she promised.
"Or go outside and build a snowman?" Clarissa suggested, brightening up considerably.
Via laughed. "If you like," she agreed.
Clarissa leapt to her feet, suddenly energised, and offered Via a hand up. They went down to the third floor, gave the password to the gargoyle and proceeded up the revolving spiral staircase.
"Remember you're doing the talking," Clarissa said as they reached the top.
Via grinned and rapped sharply with the griffin knocker.
"Come in!" called Minerva's voice. The two of them entered the office to find Minerva sitting behind her desk. Via suddenly felt like a teenager again, being called to her headmistress' study after some misdeed. She reached for Clarissa's hand.
"What can I do for you two?" Minerva enquired.
"I just... we just..." Via faltered. "We... we're together, me and Clarissa. We're dating and... we thought it'd be polite to let you know."
Minerva smiled. "So you're finally got your acts together, then," she said.
"W... what do you mean?" Via asked.
"It's been obvious for weeks that the two of you like each other," Minerva said. "I've been wondering when you'd do something about it. Congratulations, and thank you for letting me know."
"Also, we're not exactly going around announcing it or anything," Clarissa added. "Just sort of... letting people find out by osmosis..."
"I understand," Minerva nodded. "Don't worry, I won't go around telling people."
"Well, that wasn't too bad," Clarissa said as they stepped off the bottom of the revolving staircase.
Via rolled her eyes. "So says Miss 'You do the talking'," she retorted.
Clarissa laughed. "I thought you were okay with talking," she protested. "But you completely clammed up. What happened? I thought it was fine."
"Minerva was never your head teacher," Via protested.
Clarissa laughed again. "C'mon, let's build a snowman!" she took Via's hand and dragged her downstairs.
Via and Clarissa never did make a big announcement, but by the end of that school year, their relationship was common knowledge among their colleagues. Despite Clarissa's initial worries about breaking up and losing each other as friends, as the years passed, they just became closer. Clarissa had always been very open about wanting children someday, and eventually they began to talk about it seriously. The easiest option ended up being a Muggle sperm bank. When the clinic counsellor suggested registering the birth and both being the baby's legal parents would be easier if they were married, Clarissa proposed, they set a wedding date and invited everyone from work to their summer wedding.
At the end-of-term staff meeting at Easter, when Minerva asked if there was any other business, Via and Clarissa stood up.
"This is completely unrelated to work," Via began. "But we, um... you're all still invited to our wedding, but we won't be offended if you can't make it because we've had to change the date. It's now next Tuesday."
"You see," Clarissa continued, "I won't really... I won't really fit into my dress in August."
Via put an arm around Clarissa and rested her other hand on her fiancée's stomach. "We're expecting a baby in October."
The congratulations came in from all sides, and the meeting was completely derailed.
Via and Clarissa got married the following Tuesday in a far smaller ceremony than had originally been planned. The important people were still there, of course, but some extended family couldn't be there, fewer colleagues were in attendance than originally invited, and only a couple of Clarissa's friends had made it over from America. Nevertheless, they were married, all in white, Clarissa in a dress and Via in beautifully embroidered dress robes. Vows and rings were exchanged, the union was sealed with a kiss, and then Via and Clarissa announced their pregnancy to anyone who didn't already know.
"I want to announce your marriage at the start of term feast tomorrow."
Most of the Hogwarts staff were relaxing in the staff room the day before the majority of students were due back from their Easter holidays. Via and Clarissa had arrived back from a week in the Lake District to find both their offices decked out in 'Just Married' banners. If they'd had any hope of flying under the radar, that was severely crushed, especially now Minerva had announced her intention to inform the students.
"Do you have to...?" Via asked uncomfortably.
"Not if you really don't want me to," Minerva said, "but if you're going to wear your rings in school there's going to be questions and speculation from the students. And when Clarissa starts showing-"
"I'm hoping no one will notice before the end of term," Clarissa said quickly. "I know I'll be nearly six months by then, but loose robes are good at concealing the figure, so..." She turned to her wife. "What d'you think? Are we prepared for the onslaught of questions and comments if the students know we got married?"
Via grimaced. "Go on, then," she said reluctantly. "You're right, Minerva, we might as well be upfront, I guess."
Later, when Via and Clarissa were alone, Clarissa said,
"So, we're coming out at Hogwarts, then?"
Via grinned. "The first time I came out at Hogwarts, I was fourteen," she said. "I got all the usual dumb questions – do you get turned on when we're in the dormitory together getting changed?, d'you want me to snog you straight?"
Clarissa rolled her eyes. "Well, we shouldn't have any of that this time. More like 'what did you wear?', 'Can we see the rings?', 'Are you changing your names?'"
Via took Clarissa's hand. "I'm so glad we're married," she said, with a contented sigh. "And I can't wait to meet this little one."
The start of term feast was as embarrassing as the newlyweds had feared. They had to endure hundreds of students staring at them, which made Clarissa go bright red and Via want to disappear. Later, the house elves produced wedding cakes for each table and the other professors forced Via and Clarissa to cut the cake and distribute it along the staff table.
The next week or so was filled with questions from students but the two of them quickly developed a way to shut each class down after a couple of questions by threatening them with an essay on Wizarding marriage customs if they continued asking after they'd been told to stop. Within a few weeks, everything was back to normal. After more than a decade together, Via and Clarissa had finally come out at Hogwarts.
A/N ~ Most of this is set a while before the Dudley's Daughter series, but the end overlaps with Year 4.