Severus Snape and the Provocative Predicament

Title: \"Severus Snape and the Provocative Predicament\" Chapter Two
Author: MoJo
Feedback: MoJoBer@aol.com
Category: Snape/OFC
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Spoilers: General for all the books but specifically, Chamber of Secrets. No spoilers for Order of the Phoenix since I wrote this well before it came out.
Summary: Snape finds himself in quite a predicament with the new Ancient Runes professor.
Author\'s Note: For Jori, who takes me wherever she goes. This started out as a whim but took on a life of it own. Written for fun but hopefully, fun to read. Enjoy.

My Web site: http://www.mojober.com/Fanfiction

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Chapter Two: The Wyvern Attack


Over the next couple weeks, Snape avoided any and all contact with Morrigan Moran aside from their normal teaching responsibilities at Hogwarts. After secret negotiation, he\'d even managed to procure her a permanent seat by Lockhart at the Head Table. Lockhart was only too ecstatic to have a fresh set of ears to tell his many tales of his dashing and courageous deeds to. Snape watched with evil delight as a look of utter and complete dread fell on Morrigan\'s face every time Lockhart sat beside her and began his storytelling.

While Morrigan was otherwise occupied with Lockhart, Snape set about making inquiries into both her professional and personal histories. Morrigan had been an exceptional student while at Hogwarts, with Ancient Runes, of course, being her best subject. She had been in Ravenclaw and even played half a year of Quidditch until she fell, head first, off her broomstick.

Snape thought that explained quite a bit.

After Hogwarts, Morrigan continued her studies of Ancient Runes abroad, traveling as far north as Scandinavia and as far south as Greece and everywhere in between. She was doing a fellowship in Bohemia when the offer from Dumbledore had come, which she had readily accepted.

Details of her personal life, however, were few and far between. There wasn\'t much in her school records except to say her Muggle parents were some sort of traveling gypsies from Northern England with no permanent address. They were the type of people that preyed on foolish Muggles with their faux fortune telling and pretend magic. Such trickery, surely, was a trait they must have passed on to Morrigan. It made Snape even more cautious of being in her company than before. Gypsies were a rotten lot.

There had been no more incidents at the school following the double attack on Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick, but everyone was still alert and suspicious. Dumbledore had taken it upon himself to hold a special staff meeting to address the continuing paranoia. Reluctantly, Snape came up from his dungeon office to participate. Since he had procrastinated, he the the last to arrive.

And the only seat left in the staff room was next to Professor Moran.

On the other side of her sat Lockhart, who was prattling on about how unnecessary this meeting was considering the culprit obviously knew that he was onto him. Morrigan wore a pained expression that faded as Snape approached her and Lockhart. She gestured eagerly to the empty seat beside her but he passed it and her by, choosing to stand in the corner shadows instead.

\"Well, now that we\'re all here, let us get started,\" Dumbledore said, picking up a small stack of papers in front of him and handing it to Professor McGonagall. \"I think it would ease the minds of the students if we made a few minor adjustments.\"

\"What sort of adjustments?\" Madame Hooch spoke up. \"It won\'t affect Quidditch training or matches, will it?\"

\"Oh no, Quidditch will continue at the present time,\" Dumbledore reassured her. \"I was thinking more along the lines of limiting evening activities and doubling up on the nightly rounds. Professor McGonagall will hand out the revised schedule, which I\'m certain you will all implement at once.\"

\"What about the greenhouse? I have many nocturnal species that need tending to,\" Professor Sprout said, frowning down at the schedule. \"Says here I\'ll be doing rounds with Professor Lockhart instead.\"

\"It does?\" Lockhart exclaimed as McGonagall handed him, then Professor Moran the schedule. His eyes quickly scanned it. \"Wouldn\'t it be best if Professor Moran and I were paired up?\"

Snape watched as Morrigan took one look at the schedule, stared right at him and smiled. It made his stomach turn. He all but snatched his copy right out of McGonagall\'s hand when she finally came around. It confirmed what he already suspected; beside \'S. Snape\' was \'M. Moran.\' His stomach turned again.

\"It\'s all been planned out,\" Dumbledore said, silencing any further protests with a wave of his hand. Then, he gave a warning look over the tops of his spectacles. \"I trust I can count on all of you for your cooperation. Hopefully, this business with the Chamber of Secrets will be cleared up soon.\"

\"Not soon enough,\" Snape muttered to himself. He crumbled the schedule up in his fist, as Morrigan looked on. He was certain she had something to do with this.

And whatever she was planning, Snape would be ready.

*****

Snape paced the corridor just outside Slytherin House, waiting for Professor Moran.

It had been four days since the staff meeting. In that time, Lockhart had put in numerous requests to revise the schedule--with the revision being, of course, to pair himself with Professor Moran. Much to Snape\'s dismay, Lockhart\'s requests were all denied.

Snape was left no choice but to send Professor Moran a small note earlier that afternoon informing her of where to meet him for the nightly rounds of the school. He was just about to leave without her, citing her one minute of tardiness as the reason, when he turned and saw her small form coming around the corner.

She was not dressed in her teaching robes but rather, a flowing dress of ruby red velvet and matching cloak as she hurried toward him. His first thought, which alarmed him, how how beautiful she looked. His second thought, which alarmed him more, was that she probably wanted him to think her beautiful or else she wouldn\'t have changed at all. Snape folded his arms in such a way that it concealed his wand in the folds of his robes. He was certain he would need its protection shortly.

\"Now that you\'ve decided to show up, let us depart,\" he announced. Snape began walking, not bothering to wait for her. His longer legs carried him swiftly out of the castle and onto school grounds, putting distance between himself and Morrigan.

It was positively frigid out, the cold wind blowing Snape\'s greasy hair into his eyes as he glanced frequently over his shoulder to check her proximity. It took her a while, but she did catch up. Her breath came out in puffs of white as she gasped from the exertion.

\"You could walk slower,\" she exhaled, sounding very winded indeed.

\"And you could walk faster,\" Snape replied, not changing his pace at all. They continued on like that for a while, heading in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

\"When I look at you, I see. . .I see,\" Morrigan began. Snape glanced over and saw her eyes widening and growing distant as she stared at him. She brought a hand to her temple, as if to clarify her vision. \"I see. . .\"

\"What?\" Snape demanded, growing impatient with her ramblings.

\"Such loneliness. And self-loathing. . .swirling all around you like a storm,\" she said, lowering her hand to her breast. Then, Morrigan closed her eyes and laughed huskily. \"Yet, your heart is full of dark, wicked desires.\"

Snape tensed up immediately, recalling his lascivious dream. Now he was more convinced than ever she had something to do with it as his heart had no desires of any sort until she arrived.

\"Do not think I am not aware of your own wickedness,\" Snape warned, watching for her reaction out of the corner of his eye.

\"But you are not,\" Morrigan said, continuing to speak in riddles. She laughed again and this time, it chilled Snape more than the night air. \"You have no idea how wicked I can be.\"

Morrigan fell out of Snape\'s peripheral vision. She had stopped walking. Snape stopped as well, his fingers tensing over his wand as he turned around to see what she was doing. And what she was doing was raising her wand.

Morrigan\'s eyes were wide and her mouth fell open. Before she could utter a single word, Snape drew his wand in one fast motion high above his head.

\"Expelliarmus!\"
in in a flash of scarlet light, Morrigan went sailing backwards through the air. Due to her small size, she stayed in flight much longer than Lockhart did when Snape used the same Disarming Charm on him.

\"Wwwyyyvveerrrnnn!\" she cried out, the word dying off as she hit a tree. Morrigan slid down it and landed face down in the snow.

\"Sounded like she said. . .\" Snape spun back around and looked up, just in time to see a huge lizard-like creature swooping down toward him with open talons. \"Wyvern!\"

With only seconds to spare, Snape drew his wand up again.

\"Petrificus totalus!\"

The wyvern\'s talons clenched shut as its legs curled up against its body. Its leathery wings froze mid-flap, causing it to plummet to the ground not too far from Morrigan. Snape breathed in shallow pants as he stared at the creature, completely stunned by what had just happened.

\"Yer a lucky man, Professor Snape!\" Hagrid exclaimed, running as fast as his thick legs could carry him from out of the Forbidden Forest. \"It was comin\' right fer ya! Darn creatures fly all silent-like. No way ter know if they\'re comin\'! Oh no. . . looks like it got Professor Moran. . .\"

The gamekeeper tromped past Snape and the wyvern to her crumpled, broken form. Hagrid knelt beside her.

\"Yes, it did,\" Snape muttered, not about to explain his erroneous action to Hagrid. He tucked his wand into his robe. \"She isn\'t dead, is she?\"

\"Don\' think so,\" Hagrid said, carefully turning her over. From the odd way her arms and legs were jumbled, several bones had to be broken. \"We hafta get \'er to Madame Pomfrey at once!\"

Snape watched with a grimace as Hagrid clumsily attempted to gather Morrigan in his short, stubby arms. Her limp body bent and twisted in the most unnatural ways, causing Hagrid a great deal of difficulty. When he started to fling her over his shoulder, Snape interceded.

\"Oh, just give her here,\" Snape said, reaching his arms out. Hagrid deposited Morrigan into them, her small form cradling nicely against Snape. Her head fell upon his shoulder as he made sure he held her securely enough. Hagrid gave him a funny look and Snape scowled in return. \"You better take care that thing before it wakes up.\"

\"Right,\" Hagrid agreed, turning his attention back on the wvyern. \"Off you two go, then.\"

Snape sighed heavily as he began the long walk to the hospital wing.

********

By morning, the entire school knew of the wyvern attack on Professors Snape and Moran. Lockhart even read aloud an excerpt from his forthcoming book, Dances with Dragons, in which he recalled his own harrowing encounter with not one or two but five wyverns. Dumbledore himself filled in teaching Ancient Runes until Professor Moran\'s return, which wouldn\'t be for several days. Her injuries sustained by the \'wyvern\' turned out to be rather extensive.

Snape, however, did not feel one ounce of remorse for the Disarming Charm or for keeping secret he had actually caused Professor Moran\'s infirmary. After all, it her own fault for acting so suspicious in the first place. So it was not guilt or any derivative of it which prompted Snape to visit the hospital wing late one evening.

He had no intentions whatsoever of inquiring on her condition but since he was there, he allowed himself to discreetly peer inside an open door on the small chance he might catch a glimpse or two of Professor Moran.

She was seated on the lower half of a bed cross-legged. On the other half facing her, also cross-legged, was a somewhat furry Hermione Granger. Most of her whiskers had fallen out, but she still had a tail. It twitched from side to side as Hermione listened with great intent to whatever it was Professor Moran was saying. Snape frowned at the girl\'s foolishness both with Polyjuice Potions and her choice in confidants. Hermione\'s cat-like eyes, which were slits, suddenly became saucers as her gaze shot from Professor Moran and right to where he was standing.

\"Professor Snape!\" she cried out in alarm. Professor Moran turned her head in the direction Hermione was looking in and stared at him as well.

\"Seems you have caught yourself a rat,\" she said, her dark eyes gleaming as they met his. \"Or perhaps, I have.\"

\"Caught a what?\" Hermione repeated, confused by her riddle. This one, Snape understood perfectly.

\"Never you mind, Miss Granger,\" Snape said, striding boldly into the room and stopping at the foot of the bed. He placed his hands on his hips as he frowned in disapproval at her appearance. Hermione lowered her head shamefully. \"And I suspect you will think twice before sneaking into the Restricted Section and reading Moste Potente Potions again. As a further incentive, ten points from Gryffindor.\"

\"Yes, Professor Snape,\" the girl said remorsefully.

\"Hermione,\" Professor Moran said, turning back to her. Hermione raised her head a little. \"There is something I must discuss with Professor Snape. Would you mind leaving us alone? We can continue our discussion of the History of Runes tomorrow.\"

\"We can? Oh, I would like that very much!\" Hermione exclaimed happily. She composed herself quickly once she remembered Snape was there. \"Sorry. Good night, Professor Moran. Professor Snape.\"

\"Good night,\" Morrigan said as Hermione scurried off, her tail swishing behind her. Snape waited until the girl was long gone before focusing back on Morrigan.

She was wearing a flowing, pearly nightgown and her raven tresses spilled down her back in soft waves. She was still bruised in several places and she was much paler that usual but other than that, Morrigan seemed no worse for wear. Snape then shifted his gaze to the table beside her bed.

It was covered with flowers and sweets and cards from both the students and faculty wishing for her speedy recovery. Snape turned his nose down at the large bouquet of garish colors that overshadowed all the others. He took a step toward it and reached out to the small card attached to it.

\"To Professor Morrigan Moran, hoping to see your radiant face lighting up the halls of Hogwarts again soon, from your esteemed colleague, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart,\" Snape stopped at Lockhart\'s accolades, not wanting to read any further. \"I should have guessed.\"

\"I noticed you did not send me any well wishes,\" Morrigan said, uncrossing her legs. She shifted so she could drape them over the edge of the bed instead. Morrigan turned her dark eyes up to his. \"You do not wish me well.\"

\"No, I do not,\" Snape confirmed, removing his hands from his hips. Snape took a few steps forward, closing the gap between them. He used his height to his advantage as he gazed threateningly down at her. \"Not when your every action since your arrival are suspect.\"

\"Not anymore suspect than yours,\" she countered, her murderous gaze mirroring his own. \"Wyvern attack, indeed. You cast a Disarming Charm on me.\"

\"And I would do it again,\" Snape assured her. He lowered his face to hers to further intimidate. As he did, he felt the air charge with something darker and much more dangerous than any spell or potion. It had been a long time since Snape had felt its sinister presence and realized it was what he\'d been sensing around Professor Moran all this time. It was sexual tension, raw and powerful.

\"I believe you would,\" Morrigan replied, her hands coming up to his face. Her fingertips brushed lightly, curiously over his lips, causing the tension to rise even more. It seemed to affect her just as much, if not more. \"You are so cold. . .like the walls of your dungeon. It\'s. . .\"

\"Intoxicating?\" Snape surmised as he snatched her wrists. He drew her hands down and away, not wanting anyone to walk in and see her touching him.

\"Yesss,\" Morrigan said, shuddering out the word. \"You were the reason I came back to Hogwarts, not teaching or even Dumbledore. You, Severus Snape.\"

Snape narrowed his eyes at her, not following. He straightened up and crossed his arms. \"Explain yourself.\"

\"I cannot,\" Morrigan said, lying back on the bed. She sprawled luxuriously across it as her eyes wandered over the ceiling, focusing on nothing. \"I\'ve always seen what is and what is to come. The gift of second sight, my mum would say. It wasn\'t until my letter arrived that I understood it wasn\'t gypsy blood that made me this way.\"

\"Get to the point,\" Snape demanded, wondering what this had to do with him. He tried not to become distracted by the sinuous way her body was moving on the bed.

\"In Bohemia, I had a vision of a man with black hair and black eyes who dwelled in the darkness and cold. I heard his heart\'s lonely cry,\" she continued. Snape watched as her hands slid like serpents over her breasts and down past her abdomen. \"And I felt his wicked desires. In that moment, I knew I was meant to be with him.\"

\"And you think this man is me,\" Snape said, convinced more than ever of her madness. \"You are both mistaken and misguided.\"

\"Am I?\" Morrigan challenged, looking at him. \"Can you not feel it? Sense it between us?\"

That, Snape could not quite deny but he did nonetheless. \"I cannot.\"

\"There is but one way to know,\" she said, turning onto her side. Morrigan\'s gaze became seductive as she ran her hand invitingly over the empty space beside her on the bed. \"One way to prove it to you.\"

\"You are not suggesting we. . .\" Snape felt his mouth go dry and his groin tense with understanding. She was offering him. . .herself. She was offering him sex. Snape could hardly believe it what he was hearing.

\"I am,\" Morrigan reassured with a sensual smile. \"Then tell me if I am wrong.\"

It was a tempting proposition, to say the least, and one worth taking under serious consideration.

\"When will you be. . .well enough?\" Snape inquired.

Morrigan smiled again.

\"Tomorrow,\" she promised. \"Tomorrow night.\"

**********

To be continued

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