How it began
Alexandra Morrigan was a rather small woman, she was smaller most of her students, but there was an air of natural authority surrounding her. Her eyes were green and her hair was neither brown nor ginger, but somewhere in between. She was 25, a muggleborn, a former Slytherin student, and she was as straight as a wave.
She sighed as one of her students tried to hit on her, once again. Maeve Avery, a sixth year Slytherin, had been trying to get her to agree to go out with her since she had started teaching, a year prior. Alex had to admit that the girl was attractive, but she was still that, a child. She was taller than her and her black hair was cut short. She also had gorgeous blue eyes. Once a month to once a week, the girl would come to her desk after class and gingerly try to seduce her. It was obvious that, on one hand, she was attracted to her teacher and wanted to pursue a relationship with her, but also that, on the other hand, she was scared of something. It was true that being a pureblood and being gay was not the best combination as the Wizarding World was as accepting when it came to homosexuality as the Muggle World. Alexandra knew that which was why she had announced her homosexuality to her muggle parents once she had graduated from Hogwarts and found some expedition to be a part of. Her parents were religious people therefore she knew that her “difference” was not going to be accepted by them. Their daughter being a witch had already been difficult to accept. Thus she could imagine that the fear of this young girl-woman? - was to be rejected by her family, her parents. There was a high chance that she would be. It was a common thing among pureblood families to abandon their gay children.
She looked at the girl and wondered what she should do about her. She could not talk to the Headmaster about it as it could have disastrous consequences for her as he would need to inform her parents. She could also be expelled if Headmaster Dumbledore saw Maeve's attraction for her as a form of harassment. No, she could not do this to her.
“Mrs. Avery, I have a class to teach in five minutes. If you want to discuss something with me, come to my office after dinner.”
“A-after dinner?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“No, no. I just... I thought... No, never mind. I'll come to your office after dinner. See you later, Professor.”
The girl left the classroom and Alexandra sighed once again. This was not what she had planned. Telling the girl to come to her office was not what she had in mind. If she were right, the girl would see it as an opening and it was definitely not what she had intended.
At the end of the day, Alex was a ball of nerves. She was worried about the meeting and yet, she was excited by this. Technically, the girl was an adult as she was seventeen. But Alexandra was a bit scared by the age difference. Eight years. Wait. When had she started to think about the age gap? And why? And why could it be a problem? Then she realized why. She should have known. As soon as she had started to think that her student was attractive, she should have known. She had already fallen. But she couldn't. She couldn't pursue a relationship, this type of relationship, with her student. It was unprofessional and wrong, wasn't it?
“Alexandra, are you all right? You are not eating.” Minerva, the Transfiguration teacher, looked at her, worried.
“I must be tired, I think I will go to my rooms and lay down for a bit.”
“Yes, you look a bit pale. Take some rest.”
Alexandra stood up exited the Great Hall using the door for staff only. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Maeve stand up to leave the room. She went to her office, knowing that the girl – no the woman – could already be waiting for her. As she predicted, Maeve was walking back and forth in front of the door, mumbling something that Alexandra could not hear.
“Mrs. Avery, if you will follow me, please.”
The teacher went inside her office and the girl followed her. She sat down behind her desk and gestured for Maeve to sit on the chair in front of her. The girl eyed the seat, but she made no move to sit on it.
“Mrs. Avery?”
Alexandra didn't know what to do as the girl refused to sit. Worse, she walked around the desk and turned her teacher's chair so that she would face her. She put her hands on the arms of the chair and she leaned in Alexandra's space. The woman tried to escape, but she was trapped by her student.
“Mrs. Avery...”
Alexandra was lost, she didn't know what to do or what to say to make Maeve stop. She didn't even know if she wanted the young woman to stop.
As if it was bound to happen, Maeve's lips reached Alexandra's. The muggleborn didn't dare to move and, therefore, stayed still, her eyes wide in surprise and shock. Once the young woman drew back, Alexandra gulped and prepared herself to reject her student.
“Mrs. Avery... Maeve.”
“I know what you are going to say. I-I just couldn't resist. I had to do it.”
“I... Maeve, you are my student, we can't have this relationship. And I'm eight years older than you.”
“Wait, it's not because you're not interested that you're rejecting me?”
“I... It's not...”
“I'm an adult. There is nothing wrong with you and I being together.”
“You are my student.”
“But you're attracted to me. You aren't denying it.”
“I... I'm not. But you have to realize what it would mean for you. You do know that your family will never accept you, right?”
“You know nothing about my family.”
“Maeve, you know how bigoted and stupid people are nowadays. Your parents will not accept you.”
“It's not because your parents rejected you that mine will do the same!”
“Listen to me, it is not about who your parents are. It doesn't matter if they have magic or not. They will not accept you because it is how the society we live in is. You and I are second-rate citizens. We don't matter to the general population.”
“Not every family, not every parent reject their children if they are gay.”
“You are right on this point. Not every family rejects their gay child. But most of them do. They reject the child or force him or her to marry someone from the opposite sex, especially if the child is the heir of some powerful House. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I don't know, you are not an heir as you are the second child of your family. You will not be forced to marry someone you will never love. But you have more chances to be disinherited than to graduate from Hogwarts.”
“I-I don't believe you.”
“Believe what you want. I just don't want you to be hurt. Because it hurts to be rejected, even if you know that it will happen.”
Maeve let her head drop on Alexandra's shoulder.
“I'll prove you that you are wrong. They will not abandon me, I know it.”
“I wish you were right...”
The Ancient Runes teacher stroked her student's hair, knowing deep down that Maeve was bound to be disappointed and hurt. Her parents were close to You-Know-Who and, even if there was a rumor that the man himself was attracted to men, his policy was similar to the rest of the Wizarding World when it came to homosexuals. Maeve mistook her gesture, or at least its meaning, as she straightened up to kiss her again. This time, Alexandra managed to break the kiss. Maeve seemed ready to pout, but she visibly chose against it.
“So, what about us?”
“Us? Maeve, there can't be a 'us' before you graduate from Hogwarts. I refuse to go out with one of my students. If you still want to have this relationship with me, you may come back once you've graduated.”
“If this is what you want. I will not go against your wishes.”
As Alexandra had predicted, during Christmas break, Maeve came out to her family and was rejected by every single member of her family. The young woman came back to Hogwarts before the end of the break and refused to talk to anyone. Her friends started to worry as she stopped eating and spent most of her time in her bed. They were scared for their friend so they turned to the adult who was the closest to Maeve: Alexandra.
They came to her on the last day of the vacation and they asked to talk to their friend as they were worried about her. It was not really her place to do this as she was not Maeve's Head of House, but she was certainly the only one the young woman would talk to. She went to the Slytherin common room and knocked on the door. As she expected, no one answered. She went inside and turned on the light. Only one bed was occupied and its occupant was hidden under the covers. She threw the covers down the bed, unveiling its owner.
“Go away. I hope you're happy. You were right. They rejected me.”
“Oh, Maeve... I didn't tell you this because I wanted to be right. I told you that they would reject you hoping that you would wait for a bit to make your coming out. They threw you out, didn't they?”
“Of course they did! They told me that they didn't want to see me ever again! You ruined my life! Why can't I be like everyone else!?”
“Maeve, it is not your fault. They chose to reject you because of who you are. This is who you are and you shouldn't change to please others. This is not how things are meant to be.”
“But, they are my family...”
“No, they are the family you didn't choose. Now, you have the chance to be able to build your own family. You can choose who you want to have close to you. You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not to please others. Be who you want to be with the people you want to be with. And if someone doesn't want to be by your side because of who you are, then they don't deserve you. They don't deserve to have you.”
“I want you. I want to have you with me.”
“I know, but we can't. You still are my student.”
“What about we start dating, we get to know each other, and wait for after I've graduated for things to become serious?”
“I will wait for you. But you have to realize that no one can know about us.”
“So, there is a 'us' now?”
“Hush, don't make me regret my decision.”
Alexandra laughed and kissed Maeve's forehead. The young woman threw her arms around her teacher's – and now girlfriend's – neck and took advantage of Alexandra's position to kiss her lips.