In Need

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A/N - Sorry to all of you who read the uncorrected version of this posted earlier today - woops!


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Dumbledore, concerned about the close call that Professor Snape had as a result of the last death eaters’ meeting, had summoned him to his office to discuss the situation, and it had quickly escalated into a heatebatebate.

“Severus,” he said firmly, “It is clearly time to modify your strategy. Taking the damage done to the victims at the meetings onto yourself is becoming too risky.”


Severus frowned at him and shook his head. “What do you suggest I do, Headmaster? Simply stand there and let them be tortured and killed? I\'ve already explained to you that this last time was particularly violent only because of Malfoy\'s return.”


“But how would you be able to really gauge such a thing in advance?\" Dumbledore protested. \"You had no way of knowing what was coming the other night, and you could just as easily be caught unawares again. Perhaps your recovery has clouded your memory of how very serious your injuries were this last time. When you first devised the spells to deflect the torture onto yourself, I supported it not just because you were strong enough to do it and could spare the muggle lives at risk, but because it was of overaaluealue to our strategy as well. If taking it all onto yourself is going to prove to be so deadly, then it is also jeopardizing our cause - if you succumb, then we lose any advantage we have ever had of your services to us. You are far too important to risk, for much more than personal reasons, my boy.”


Severus was very agitated by now. “The only sense of comfort I’ve had regarding my connection with Voldemort is that if I must be there, at least I can help the helpless who are brought there for his amusement. You know what happens at those meetings - how am I supposed to just withdraw assistance after all this time?”


They looked intently at each other across the desk in a wrestling of two strong wills, each wanting to do what was right and each believing that his way was best. As always, though, Severus trusted Dumbledore, and no matter how strongly he felt, would follow the elder wizard’s counsel.


Dumbledore said, “You will be able to help more of them in the long run if you are intact, Severus. If we are to have any attempt at gaining an upper hand in a confrontation with Voldemort, we need you. Alive. If we are without your aid, and are therefore unable to defeat him, or if the battlust ust stretch on for as many more years as they already have, think how many more defenseless people will be in harm’s way! I don’t like the immediate consequences any more than you do, but we need to choose our battles, and I hope that you will comply with my request.”


Severus got up from his chair and moved toward the door. \"Thank you Headmaster. tha that all?\"


\"Yes, Severus. Please just be careful.\"


Severus understood the point, but felt bitter about it nonetheless as he walked pensively back to his office. Everything Dumbledore said was true - as it was, during his recovery he had lost nearly a week of time that could have been put toward his research that would find a way to help them try to end the conflict once and for all. Megan, while probably sympathetic to his frustration, would undoubtedly be pleased to hear that he was no longer going to protect the “entertainment,” since she had always dreaded the condition in which he would return from a meeting.


What he didn’t think they could grasp, though, was that he was being forced to give up the one thing that made him feel like a human being while being among thath ath eaters.


He feared the possibility of the old bitterness and callousness returning. If he was not able to maintain a sense of redemption from helping the victims, and if it was replaced by the shame and anger of watching them die slow and horrible deaths, he worried about the consequences it would have. Dumbledore was asking him to upset the balance of a system that, while not perfect, had worked.


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Dumbledore, meanwhile, sighed and got up from his desk. He frowned worriedly and shook his head. He understood exactly what Severus’ fear was, and he only hoped that focusing on the goal of the battle ahead and believing in the goodness within himself that Megan had helped show him would be enough to keep his inner demons at bay.


He walked down the hallway to the grand staircase and paused as he came up behind two crouched over seventh year Gryffindors who were peeking around a corner, apparently trying not to be observed. He pulled at his beard amusedly, glad for a happy distraction from his more worrisome thoughts. Crouching alongside them and peeking around the corner, he whispered conspiratorially, “What are we waiting for?”


The two young men looked startled to have been caught at something and grinned weakly at Dumbledore. “Oh… hello Headmaster, sir. We were just er…”


As they tried to stammer out an explanation, Dumbledore spied a handful of bright green little threads scattered around on the landing of the stairs. His blue eyes twinkled at the boys as he asked them, “Am I correct in guessing that those are tickle fits there on the floor?”


Looking at him sheepishly, the boys reluctantly said, “Yes, Headmaster. We got them in a box of prizes this morning from Professor Waters.”


“I have heard about them, but have never seen them in action. What a pity that I have a meeting that I must be at in a moment. I will not only miss noticing whether you complete your prank or not, but I will surely also forget that I ever saw them there in the first place.”


Two young Gryffindor ladies were now in sight as they walked up the stairs together, talking animatedly about the upcoming qitchitch match. Dumbledore took his leave from the young men who gratefully resumed their posts, and he warmly greeted the young ladies as he passed them on the stairs.


Not noticing the little green tickle fits lying in wait at the top on the landing, the girls unwittingly crunched the threads under their shoes. All of a sudden, they sprang to life, landed on the girls, and began to mercilessly tickle them. As the girls screamed with helpless laughter, slapping at their arms, legs, and necks, the boys popped triumphantly out from their hiding place and gathered the wriggling young ladies up into bear hugs.


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Dumbledore entered Firenze’s grotto, where Megan and Firenze were already waiting for him. As they greeted each other, Dumbledore settled down onto a tree stump and Megan sat cross-legged on the ground at his feet. The ivy on the ground immediately began to wind itself around her ankle and a small bird flitted out of one of the low trees and perched on her shoulder.


“So Megan has told you then about what I have seen?” Firenze asked.


“She told me, but I would like to hear it from you.”


Firenze looked down and scraped gently at a bit of moss with his front hoof as he thought for a moment. “You are aware that my kind typically prefer to remain out of the affairs of humankind, and you are also aware that my association with humans was the reason for my expulsion from my community. We have seen the conflict coming for some time, but none of my people would admit that this time all of our paths seem to be coming to a crossroads.”


His intense blue eyes looked down at Dumbledore as he continued. “I don’t know what your plans are and do not need for you to reveal them, but I would find it very surprising - given the current celestiide ide - if you were not in the midst of preparations. It is clear that the effects of Voldemort’s power and his life or death reach far beyond just the wizarding community. Therefore, I wish to offer myself for battle in whatever way I can be used.”


Dumbledore studied him for a moment and then replied, “You are a loyal friend, Firenze, and I thank you on behalf of all who will fight. I do not pretend to understand your methods of divination, but trust you to carefully guard the knowledge that you have collected. At the moment, I am uncertain about involving you in our war, especially when it would place you in such grave danger. Consider that the enemy will be armed with wands - you are a true mark with your bow, but could it defend you against such powerful magic?”


“I have indeed considered it. I think that this battle is going to involve the magical creatures, whether the wizards have counted on it or not. Only this week I have heard rumors that the giants are moving, and the last I heard of them, their loyalty - however fleeting - has been purchased by Voldemort. If that is the case, and if other magical creatures will be joining the fight, then you will need numbers and brute strength to defend your cause. My counsel to you is to recruit wandless fighters that you trust, and use them to fight the other wandless who will most surely be there fighting against you.”


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Severus Snape sat in his quarters, still brooding over his earlier conversation with Dumbledore. The situation gave him yet another reason to curse the fact that Lucius Malfoy had somehow wrangled a release from Azkaban. His presence back in the circle and his penchant for violence against muggles was sure to raise the level of brutality at the gatherings.


Lucius Malfoy was really the last person he wanted to see at the moment, which was unfortunate, because that is exactly who was raising his silver-headed cane to rap on Severus’ door just as he was opening it to leave for dinner in the great hall.


“Severus,” drawled Lucius in his usual arrogant tone. “At last we can meet in private.”


Not waiting for an invitation, he pushed the door open with his walking stick and stepped into Severus’ private quarters. Severus followed him in, glowering down at the back of his head. Lucius sat by the fire and motioned toward a chair, saying, “Sit, please, Severus.” Looking him over, he continued, “I understand that this has been quite a year for you while I was away, old friend. Being locked away from the world causes one to fall behind in the news...”


Without his realizing it, Severus’ fingers curled up so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms. “What are you implying, Lucius?” he asked, with an edge to his voice. “I visited you in Azkaban as regularly as I could without raising suspicions.”


Lucius laughed softly, his cold gray eyes locked calculatingly onto Severus’ face. “And yet,” he replied, “I had to hear from another that you have taken a mate… I hear she is quite the prize, even if you did have to - hm - win her rather unconventionally.”


Severus’ impassive expression gave no indication of the volcano beneath the surface that he struggled to keep in check. He hated that this pompous fool was able to get on his nerves so easily. There was no rational reason to get angry from such callow taunts, but Malfoy’s words bypassed rationality and tapped straight into one of Severus Snape’s few vulnerabilities: what was Megan doing with someone like him? While he completely believed in her love for him, it was nonetheless rather baffling to him… and to many others as well.


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His whole life, Severus Snape had seen the respect that the Malfoy family commanded, and it lay in stark contrast to what the last few generations had hap happen to the name of Snape. True, they had wealth, but that was not extraordinary in old pureblood families - especially those with few scruples.


The Snapes did not have the easy sophistication and beauty of the Malfoys. Severus’ father had been a brute of a man whose violent temper often had its expression through physical and magical abuse against Severus’ mother. As Severus grew, he began to purposely draw the attention to himself in an attempt to spare her. His mother eventually left without a word when Severus was nearing his last year at Hogwarts. In a fit of crazed vengeance, Severus’ father tracked her down, killed her, and then killed himself. Severus, then finding himself alone in the world, was the sole heir of their fortune and the sole bearer of the disgrace that the wizarding community associated with their family name.


Even as a youtuciuucius Malfoy had only been interested in Severus’ brains and prowess while pretending to befriend him. The Malfoys historically surrounded themselves with purebloods who they would rather not have to face as enemies, and called them friends. Severus had known that all along, but as a wholly unpopular and friendless youth, he was starved for civil companionship of any kind. With Lucius at his side, people looked at him with respect, and young ladies looked at him, period.


As the years passed, Severus Snape forged his own identity and reputation, and began to naturally command a respect which allowed him to withdraw into the solitary independence that he preferred. As he made his way back to Dumbledore and their alliance grew into friendship, he understood for the first time what it really felt like to be cared about. When Megan came along, his love for her led him to make the choice of making himself wholly vulnerable to another person. Now the burden of keeping up pretences of old friendship with Malfoy for the Order’s sake seemed more annoying and tiresome than ever, and felt something akin to being forced to drink vinegar after one has had a steady supply of fresh water.


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Despite being secure in the truth of his love, Severus resented Lucius’ insinuation. While he knew that it kept them all safer if the death eaters continued to believe that Megan was with him because she was still under the influence of the imperius curse that they had faked to trick them, he nonetheless hated the thought of anyone thinking of Megan as some kind of captive whore. He consoled himself with the thought that after Voldemort’s defeat, the whole truth could be told.


“I did not think it was the sort of thing that ought to be shared around other ears,” Severus finally replied flatly, addressing Lucius’ wonderment at Severus’ not informing him about Megan. “After all, she is the new darling of the school and we hardly need an army of her admirers rushing to her aid.”


Lucius chuckled unkindly. “I understand. But I wish to meet this prize of yours and see what all the fuss is about - summon her here, won’t you?”


This would have been perfectly easy to do if she were actually under the imperius curse... but since she wasn’t, Severus had no way to summon her. He was about to make an excuse and try to get rid of Malfoy, when there was a familiar light knock on his door.


Megan had her own entrance to his quarters through her own, and knew perfectly well how to get through his wards, so she must have somehow known that Malfoy was on the premises if she was knocking… Severus exhaled in relief as he went to get the door, not knowing how she did it, but glad to have any potential suspicion diverted for the moment.


It was actually Dumbledore who had noticed immediately (through one of his many unfathomable ways of staying on top of things!) when Lucius Malfoy entered Hogwarts grounds. When he was sure that Malfoy had gone to Severus’ rooms, Dumbledore sent Megan there too, certain that she would have been a topic of their conversation - and it was, therefore, also certain that Severus would be expected to produce her at some point.


Severus opened the door, and Megan came in. He was quietly pleased as he heard Lucius’ sharp intake of breath through his nose. He rose to look at her, the top of his head level with her chin. She was wearing pretty dress robes of garnet colored silk trimmed with gold braid, as a rule preferring such attire in lieu of the plainer teaching robes that most of the staff wore. Lucius was trying to appear unaffected, but was obviously impressed.


“Well, Severus,” he said while leering at Megan, “I can see why you’d want to keep this to yourself.”


“Her name is Megan,” said Severus quietly.


“Oho! Are we to be introduced then, my dear?” Malfoy asked mockingly, taking her hand to kiss it.


Megan felt her skin crawl as Lucius’ cool lips touched her hand and lingered there much longer than necessary, but she kept her face expressionless, holding up the charade.


Lucius stood back from Megan to get a better look at her. “I was told she was a redhead, Severus - what an amusing touch to make her change her hair to match yours.”


Severus couldn\'t help but snort in response - while her hair had indeed become the same color as his, no one would sesly sly say that her soft shiny waves were anything like his own notorious locks.


“How about giving us a little taste, then?” said Lucius, leaning in to give Megan a kiss. A nearly imperceptible flicker of disgust went through her eyes, and she was silently grateful that Severus stepped in before the words even finished leaving Malfoy\'s mouth.


“No, Lucius,” he interjected sharply. “I am keeping this one for myself. I plan to marry.”


Malfoy gave a cold and incredulous laugh. “Severus Snape *marry*? Who would have dreamed it? How perfectly delicious - of course, your taste is impeccable.”


“Well, Lucius, you know that we can’t all win the heart of a beauty like Narcissa,” Severus drawled (adding, “Thank the gods!” mentally).


Sneering at them, Lucius took his leave. “Good evening to you then, Severus. I will leave you alone with your - er - bride. Rest assured that I will keep your secret - we wouldn’t want the wrong people finding out and releasing this beauty from your care, now would we?”


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The door closed behind him and Severus and Megan looked at each other.


“Well, that was unpleasant,” Megan said, warding the door and setting silencing spells.


“I am sorry you had to be present for that. How did you know to come?”


“Albus.”


She sat on the couch and held her arms open to him. He sat down mechanically and allowed her to embrace him, but was still reeling from everything that had taken place that day and was nearly numb from the overload of feelings he’d had to suppress. Megan sat patiently with him and gently stroked his cheek and hair.


“This has been quite a day for you, hasn’t it?” she said.


He grunted in response and covered his eyes with his hands. “Did you talk to Dumbledore about the meeting I had with him this morning?”


“Yes.”


“You must be glad, then.”


She tutted at him. “Don’t say that. I will never be happy about anything that makes you feel bad. You know I was worried about you those times, but you also know that I am always so proud of you. Like I said before, though, we will get through this. It isn’t going to be easy, but we’ll do it. I guess we’ll just have to put energy into what *can* be done instead of wasting it dwelling on things that we can’t ch.”
.”


He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on the top of her head. She was glad to feel him beginning to relax. She continued to caress him, moving lower to his back, kneading his tight muscles.


“Mmmm,” he exhaled into her neck, melting into relaxation under her touch.


He felt her tense in response as his warm breath caressed her neck. She arched toward him and sighed in contentment. “My beautiful Megan,” he said in his velvety half-whisper, his own body now responding to her.


With a brief movement of his wand, her robes were gone, and he lay her back against the arm of the sofa. She looked up at him wantonly begging him to take her with her expression and movements. An unbelievable need built in him very rapidly - all of the days frustrations and worries fueled his desire, and he pulled her roughly back up against him and crushed her mouth in a demanding kiss. His erection pushed uncomfortably against the confines of his trousers, and he felt himself losing control.


“Yes,” she moaned to him, grinding shamelessly against his hardness. “Take me like this - I like it when you’re rough.”


His eyes burning with lust, he dug his fingers into her shoulders and kissed down her neck, finishing by biting into the tender flesh at the top of her shoulder, making her gasp and push against him, begging for his touch. Even when he was rough like this, his passion for her was palpable and his urgency sparked her own need for him. They tumbled to the floor together as he pulled at his clothes, and she tossed his robes to the side and tugged at his shirt. Impatient to have his skin in contact with hers, he made short work of the rest with his wand.


As she moved to climb back onto the sofa, he quickly pinned her against it, pulled her already wet panties to the side, and roughly pushed three fingers into her, sliding them in and out of her warm wetness. Sheed oed out loudly and ground against his hand. He found her clit with his other hand and caressed it with his fingers. “Come for me…,” he said, his mouth against her ear, and his erection pressing against her bottom, “Now.”


She came against his hand, her wetness spreading over it as she shuddered and cried out. He pulled her back onto the floor and pushed her down on her back. He tossed her panties aside and made short work of her bra, running a finger under it and pulling the flimsy closure in two. He ducked under her legs so that her knees were over his shoulders and positioned himself at her entrance. He thrust hard into her, groaning at the sensation, and clenching his teeth. With sure, long strokes, he pounded into her, converting all of the frustrations of the day into the aching need for release that pulsed through him.


As they got more and more carried away with their lovemaking, their moans and cries filled the room. Had it crossed either of their minds, they would have been especially grateful for the silencing spells that night.


Severus held back his release as he continued to coax Megan to come, reveling in having found yet another way to pleasure his lady, and in the heady sense of power it gave him to be able to cause such a response in her.


As he moved inside her, Severus looked down at Megan - her eyes were squeezed shut, her face was set in an expression of desire, and her hair was getting wet with perspiration near her forehead. Opening her eyes, she looked up at him and said in a voice that was thick with lust, “Come for me - now.”


It pushed Severus over the edge and he dug his fingers into her hips as he climaxed, pulling hard at her soft skin as he poured himself into her.


“Please touch me more - I’m so close again,” Megan begged, her blue eyes pleading with him. She was still grinding her hips up against him, trying to make enough friction to satisfy herself.


Without a word, Severus scooted down between her legs and slid two fingers into her, curving them out to hit her sensitive spot inside. He licked and sucked at her folds and clit, gently but rapidly circling the latter with his tongue. She pushed herself unabashedly against his face, losing herself in the unbelievable combination of sensations that seemed to be everywhere on her most sensitive places at once. Her climax built rapidly and she held it off as it grew to an aching peak, and then shuddered in ecstasy as it finally exploded over her.


This had gotten Severus very ready for the next round, and he flipped Megan neatly up on her hands and knees, preparing to enter her from behind. She stopped him though, saying, “Love, I’m sorry - I’m a little tender there after all the attention you’ve given me. Let me go down on you for awhile, okay?”


“You’re apologizing for wantingtaketake me in your mouth?” he chuckled. “You are either entirely naïve or have been with only complete morons before me.”


With a smile, she pushed him onto the couch and knelt in front of him, savoring the feel of him as she swirled her tongue around the head and sucked him deeply. He groaned, closed his eyes, and wrapped his fingers into her hair…


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Dumbledore smiled knowingly into his teacup the next morning as he saw the two of them enter the great hall together for breakfast. It looked like they really hadn’t gotten much sleep, but judging by their faces as they briefly allowed themselves to look adoringly at each other, it had been worth it.


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A/N - Thanks to those of you who read & review. I love hearing from you, and am always interested in knowing what you think of the story.

barrie - What a coincidence, lol! Hope this chapter answered your questio The The original reference can be found in the chapter called \"Harsh Reality.\" (What? You didn\'t memorize all of the plot threads thus far???) Tee hee! Thanks for checking in, hope you enjoy the story. :-)

jorrn - Hey, thanks! I\'m so glad you like the story and will definitely consider your idea! :-)


Best wishes to all of you,
~~**Rapunzel**~~


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