1984, all of you
March 17th, 1984
Agnes was walking towards the school library to get some documents for her next chapter in the 4th year program. She was wearing a long and simple white dress with a knitted blue jumper over it. The days were still a little chilly and she did not want to catch a cold as the exam preparing season was starting soon. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had already left Hogwarts grounds a few days earlier and Agnes and the other professors had been more than busy to get things back in order after the tumult of the potion tournament.
She entered the library where a few students were already busy getting ahead on their readings. Agnes smiled to the librarian before heading towards the restricted section. She was expecting it to be deserted but she spotted a silhouette already looking for a book. This section was particularly dark and she did not recognized who it was at first. But as if the person had heard her thoughts, he turned back to face her.
- Professor Snape. She whispered when recognizing him.
He looked taller than usual and more mysterious than ever. It was so awkward to meet like this after what had happened a few days prior in his office. The next morning, she had felt so shy and stupid to have let go this way. Fucking another professor? How stupid, of course it was going to get awkward! She was an adult but still had a lot to learn about relationships. Well, could she even talk about a relationship when it was about Severus Snape? The man had barely noticed her since what had happened between them. It was almost as if he was avoiding her (even more than usual per say). She felt wronged and ashamed... And pissed at him, to be honest.
She had felt too stupid to even mention it to Jeanne in her last letter, wanting to having this sorted out before she made it real by talking about it to a tierce person.
The man in front of her looked at her and seemed... embarassed ?
- Good morning, professor Lenoir.
Oh. What was it with his tone? It was probably the first time he'd call her by her title without any skepticism or sarcasm in his voice. It was really... nice?
- Looking for something in particular? She asked while herself looking for her own documents.
- Just a book I've been trying to get my hands on for a while now.
- What's the topic? She said, looking up to him.
- Fantastic beasts and Special behaviors, by Newt Scamander. It's just one small pamphlet he published a few years ago, pretty hard to find. But Irma assured me we had it at Hogwarts.
And if Irma Pince, librarian at Hogwarts, told someone the school had the book, then it had it, no doubt. She knew of every single book present in the school library.
Agnes felt a thinner book through her hands while she was letting her fingers slide through the shelves and look at it, bend her head to read the title and let a small laugh out.
- Are you referring to that one? She said, showing the little pamphlet signed by Newt Scamander himself.
Snape opened his eyes a little wider while coming closer to Agnes at the speed of light.
- How did you- he stuttered.
Agnes laughed before handing him the little book. She was surprised Snape had any interest in magical beasts at all. And seeing him excited to find a book was sort of... adorable?
- You might want to check your eye sight, professor.
she insisted on the 'professor', purposely contrasting with how she'd call him back in his office, sitting against him and his working desk. Agnes felt her cheeks warming at this thought and hid it behind a smile. She did not want him to think she was head over heels for him or something.
- Agnes.
His voice was so soft, she'd barely missed it. She just had the time to lift her eyes onto him before she felt a tender hand on her cheek. Snape was looking down at her, seemingly wanting to say something.
- I- . I'm sorry. He finally spit out.
Here, in this large library, cold and dark, the restricted section had never felt so warm and welcoming.
***
March 20th, 1984
Agnes was already in her sleeping gown when an owl came rushing towards her window. She opened the window, shivering at the strong wind and rain entering her appartment. She let the owl rest in the warmth of the room before letting it fly away again. It was a letter from Remus. She had asked him a few things about whether she could visit for easter, or if he wanted to meet up some day soon. She wanted to get some fresh air out of the castle. Since january, it had been sort of overwhleming to manage everything going on and she had not taken any time to spend some time with her friends. Jeanne being pregnant, it was impossible to ask her to visit in the UK. She was glad Pierre was by her side.
She read Remus Lupin's letter and could not help but smile. He was such a sweet person. He was telling her about his day and how he had picked up a few flowers to make a bouquet for his boss's grand daughter's 10th birthday, but a cow had eaten it behind his back. She read the letter one more time, making sure she had not missed any details, and put the paper to rest on her desk.
She let down her hair and got ready to go to bed, when someone knocked on her door. At this time? Who could it be?
She hurried to put on an oversize cardigan to cover herself and proceed to open the large wooden door.
- What are you doing here? She asked Snape, who was standing there, completely soaked, his hair messed up by the wind.
- Good..evening. He managed to stutter.
Agnes sighed in worry and made him come in. His clothes were drenched and his lips were turning purple.
- What happened to you, now? She asked, making him sit down on a chair. He didn't show any protest and let her move him.
She could have heated him up with her elemental magic in a second, but decided to grab her wand and whispered a drying spell she had learnt a long time ago during a winter her and Jeanne had fell onto the river near Beauxbatons. Very useful spell, by the way.
Snape's clothes dried down after a little while but his hair were now in a weird shape. His eyes were lost in the horizon, as if processing what had happened to him. It was the first time she'd seen him like that. After offering him a cup of tea, she waited for him to speak on the reason of his presence here.
- I went to investigate in the forbidden forest tonight. There had been more and more strange apparition of magical animals in the area and some have unprecedented behavior. The headmaster asked me to look into it. But I got surprised by centaurs who were in a bad mood.
- Oh. She managed to say.
If Dumbledore himself had requested Severus Snape to look into that issue, then it meant it must be serious. She still remember when the threstral and the griffin had appeared out of nowhere. Something was indeed going on. Both times, Severus had been there to protect her. So he must have been looking into it since then. She looked up to him again, his hair still messed up from the wind.
- May I? She asked softly.
He stared at her, not knowing what she meant. She approached him and tenderly started to brush his hair in the correct way. She felt him tensing up before easying up after a few seconds. His hair was softer than what she'd imagined. It was so black and thick, and welcomed her fingers perfectly. She felt two hands slowly embracing her waist, and Snape's head coming to rest on her abdomen. Agnes' heart beat became irregular and her cheeks became pink. His body was now warmed up and it felt good to have this weight around her. She had finished to brush his hair silently and was now caressing his head in a soft manner. It felt so cozy.
They had shared one heated night and had not spoken about it since then. Yet, Severus Snape had seemed to easen up on her and get more trusting towards her. It felt good, as if she finally got to know the real professor Snape, not the one he was showing everyone around him. His hands came to caress her back slowly before suddenly tensing up and tightening the grip on her waist. She looked down at the wizard who was now staring at the letter on her desk. It was signed Remus Lupin.
- You're still in contact with him? His deep voice asked, still looking down at the letter.
- Of course, we're friends. She said, a little surprised by his reaction.
She saw his jaw glench before he stood up to face her, his hands still on her. He was now taller than her, his eyes all over her. It seemed he was analyzing her, studying every inch of her. He looked really good. She liked having him in her room, it felt cozy and right. She had never invited anyone else in her room before. Yet, it was not strange at all to have him around. Quite the opposite. She realized she'd been staring at him that long and looked away shyly. She was not that shy of a person, but with him. it was different.
Snape gently grabbed her jaw with one hand, caressing her cheek like he'd done at the library, and came closer until their forehead touched.
- What's on your mind, professor? she asked.
She heard him sighed slightly.
- I am too greedy. He answered slowly, his eyes closed.
- What about?
- About you. He answered right away, his eyes now opened and moved his head a few inches backward.
Agnes was getting a little hot. He looked at her as if he was undressing her through his eyes.
- What do you want? She dared to ask.
He marked a pause, looking down at her lips, his breath a little unsteady. But he stopped, closed his eyes before opening them again.
- Call me Severus. He simply said.
Agnes couldn't restrain a smirk at his request. She could not have imagined finding professor Severus Snape ever so cute, but here she was. He looked bloody cute.
She passed her arms around his neck, moving herself even closer to him, her chest crushing onto his, making him gasp in desire, moving his eyes from her cleavage to her lips.
- Whatever you want, Severus. She finally said, before stepping on her tip toe to kiss him tenderly.
His arms came to embrace her before leaning in for the kiss. Severus was so eager to touch her, his breathing was warm and unsteady. She could feel his excitement and lust pushing onto her, and she welcomed it with pleasure. Her night gown left her shoulder, and then slid down her hips and legs before resting on the ground. His eyes on her, adoring every inch of skin made her feel like a goddess and his fingers wandering around at the same time as his tongue was leaving her mouth to her neck, it was as if their body had been made to meet each other.
The night was warmer than the scottish spring weather outside, and Agnes had used no heating spell for the remaining hours she'd spent in her room, well acompanied.
***
March 30th, 1984
- Thank you for coming on such short notice, Agnes.
Agnes was sitting down in Professor Dumbledore's office, a cup of hot tea in her hands. She had added a bit of milk to make it thicker. The weather had been quite grey for the past few weeks and everyone was still wearing their winter uniforms. The old headmaster had asked Agnes to come into his office earlier that day, wanting to discuss an important matter. She had not asked for more details and had made herself available. Dumbledore had not requested anything from Agnes in a while so she seized every opportunity to make herself useful.
- I have asked you to join me for the afternoon tea for a specific reason, dear. I fear that Hogwarts might not be as safe as I intend it to be. Dark forces are coming near the area.
- Dark...forces ? You don't mean... death eaters?
- That I cannot say. However, have you been noticing anything peculiar around the school walls this year ? He asked, calmly.
- Hm.. It's hard to say, professor. I don't really mean it as a joke but... Hogwarts is far from normal, you see.
Dumbledore smiled a bit before looking back to being serious.
- Magical beasts entering the school? Creatures that have never been seen around here before, now wandering around the forest. And at that, attacking humans! It is as if the forbidden forest has spreaded all the way to us. And why is that?
Agnes remembered about the task Dumbledore had given Snape about investigating the forest, and his sudden interest in magical creatures. It made sense now. He was trying to find the reason for the strange occurences of the past few months.
- I do believe something is disrupting the environment around us. And it has been since a little while now. He said, gravely.
He was staring right down at Agnes, as if trying silently to convey a message to her.
- Do you, have any idea of what kind of... disrupt it may be?
- I am not entirely sure yet. But I must admit I do have an idea.
The old wizard marked a pause before looking back at Agnes.
- Have you been using your elemental magic lately?
- I haven't, not with the kids wandering around.
- I assumed so.
- What's it got to do with the current matter, professor?
- Agnes. I believe your refrain from using any of the natural gift you've been given at birth might be the reason of the disruption we have been experiencing at Hogwarts. Dumbledore finally admitted.
Agnes felt her heart ache. She felt so uneasy about the whole conversation.
- But, professor, you were the one who a dviced me not to use it while I teach here. Agnes claimed, her eyebrows slightly frowned from confusion.
- I know. And I still believe it was the right thing to do.
- But then, if, for whatever reason, it caused such 'disruption' you're talking about, then what should I do about it?
Dumbledore did not answer. His eyes gave a grave look to him and that's when Agnes' heart sank. He was telling her she had to go. She could not stay in hogwarts anymore.
- You're kicking me out, aren't you? She said, dryly.
- I am asking you to complete this school year, but for the sake of your students and the wellbeing of the school, I must advice you not to join us back next september.
It was as if someone has kicked her in the belly. Dumbledore was ...firing her? She had been working so hard for him, for the school and for the kids. All of this only to get kicked out like that? Because her not using her secret power HE has told her to suppress was causing trouble around here? Well, what could she do about it? Make a few flames here and there when no one was looking so everything could go back to normal?
It was so unfair. He was the one who had been asking her to come and teach here. She had left everything to become a professor. So unfair. She was mad. So mad.
- I think you've given me enough advice, professor.
She spit out before leaving his office, not giving him any last look. She couldn't look in his eyes. She had listened to him, to his orders. How dangerous was she? she was able to control her elemental magic now, she was not a teen anymore. Yet, he did not trust her enough around the kids to allow her to use it. She walked down straight, not seeing the pair of students waving at her in the corridors. She was so angry, like she had not been in a long time. So she would have to work here until july, knowing she was not coming back against her own choice ?
She had put all of her trust in professor Dumbledore, everybody had. She had stayed indoors for months because he'd told her to. She'd become a whole weapon for him to use against the dark forces. She had become his toy, in a way. How stupid had she been.
The young witch took the trail leading towards Hagrid's house, needing a bit of alone time. The loneliness she suddenly felt inside her made her disgusted at people she came across. She quickly made it to the entrance of the forbidden forest and stopped for a moment. Who was she really? A weapon? A threat? She was not so different from those magical creatures, feeling lost in a new environment, trying to understand what's happening around them. Maybe she belonged in the forest as well.
She stepped in, her feet leading her forwards, as if someone... or something was waiting for her deep inside the forest, between the thick branches of the old enchanted trees. As in transe, Agnes did not notice her eyes shining of a bright blue-white color, spreading through her veins towards her feet, and onto the ground to the roots of the nearby nature. Behind her, the dark of the early night was getting darker and darker, while she was leading her own way, lighting up the passage ahead.
When she finally made it to a glade, where the moonlight was shining the same color as her, she heard loud footsteps walking towards her. She could feel the feet shaking on the ground in her heart, she could even tell how many were coming towards her. Centaurs. She opened her eyes to face them. A dozen of centaurs stopped before her, high and proud. The most massive of all came forwards, most likely their leader.
- Elemental. We welcome you back. He said in a strong voice.
Agnes could hear, feel and see everything. But it was as if she wasn't herself. As if she was all and nothing at the same time. She watched the centaurs bow down, knee down on the ground, to salute her. Centaurs knew of a lot of things, and respected nature as their god. It was not surprising for them to know about elementals. Although she had no idea how they'd get to know about her.
Slowly, she felt her elemental magic rise up and her heart beat fasten. It felt so good to use it after so long. It felt right. She shared the power in her veins to the roots around her and felt the nature awaken little by little. A few other creature came closer, and she could feel she was not in any danger. She was home.