Of Death and Fire

absolution


CHAPTER 25: Absolution
 
Morgaine retraced her steps to Snape's dungeon as if she had never been away. He was waiting for her and embraced her, pressing his mouth on hers and pushing her back on the couch. She lost her balance and they fell back, with him on top of her, moaning loudly as his erection was squeezed on her thigh. But he didn't bother in moving away from her.
His hands moved on her body, impatiently removing the clothes that stood in the way. Breathless, Morgaine pushed him back.
"Later", she whispered. "First we must talk", she added in a gentle but firm voice.
With a disappointed frown on his face, he moved back.
"Fine", he said. "Talk. But", he added with a playful grin, "you leave me in such a state that my mind isn't exactly focused". He took her hand and placed her over his swollen crotch.
Mercilessly, Morgaine pushed harder.
"Think of Malfoy", she said icily. "This should do the trick", she added and felt his organ shrink under her hand. And he wasn't smiling anymore. She saw a muscle on his cheek twitch as he got up, turning his back on her. He took out a bottle of aged brandy from a shelf and poured some on a glass. He drunk all of it in one sip and then he filled it again.
"You've made your point", he replied, returning to the couch next to her, keeping a distance this time. "Now, talk", he said dryly.
Morgaine lifted her legs close to her chest and looked in his eyes. The pain had returned.
"How much do you know of my encounter with the Ninth Gate?" she asked him.
"Practically everything", he replied, not meeting her eyes. "Whitebone gave Dumbledore and myself a full report".
"Then you must know that I have provided Voldemort with a way to live again". He remained silent, but she noticed he was lightly rubbing his left forearm. She sighed, and continued. "The Dark Lord will rise again before the end of the summer. The spirits have foreseen this, and it cannot change". She paused for a while and closed her eyes, trying to push back some painful memory. Then she raised her head and fixed her gaze on his. "And this is where my involvement with Lucius Malfoy comes in".
His lips tightened and she could see a vein pulsating wildly on his forehead. But he kept his temper.
"Explain", he hissed.
"Malfoy doesn't want me for himself. He has seen in me a way of securing his place at Voldemort's side". She paused again, as if the words had suddenly become painful. "Voldemort has grown an interest on me, ever since the creature shared what he stole from me with him. He has seen a part of my soul; the one that belongs to darkness. And he wishes it for himself". She shivered, lowering her eyes from his face. "Malfoy believes that if he is the one to present me to Voldemort, either as a captive or as an ally, he will ensure the Dark Lord's gratitude. Naturally, an ally is always preferable. And Lucius has been doing his best to seduce me in pledging my loyalty to him and, when the time comes, to his Master". She stopped and looked up again, anticipating his response.
"How much has he proceeded with his ...seduction?" he asked coldly.
"We have fucked, if this is what you want to know", she replied as coldly.
"Did you enjoy it?" he asked, twisting the knife in the old wound.
"Yes". She realised that this was going completely wrong, but it was too late to stop now.
He looked at her for a long time, a multitude of emotions playing upon his face. Then he spoke again, asking the only thing that really mattered.
"Are you in love with him?"
"NO!" she shouted, raising furious on her feet. "He may have my body, if this is my ticket to Voldemort's Inner Sanctum. But he will never, never have my soul. I've already pledged my heart elsewhere", she said, her voice calming down. She sat down close to him, holding her face inches from his own, diving deep into his eyes.
"When the Dark Lord rises again, where will you stand?"
He lightly stroked her cheek.
"By my Lord and Master, as his faithful servant. And by Dumbledore, serving him as a spy, even if it costs my life", he said steadily, and kissed her fingers.
"And I will stand beside you", she replied as firmly. But his reaction startled her, as he pushed away and rose. She stood with his back turned at her, his head lowered as if life had suddenly become a burden. When he spoke, it felt as if his voice was coming from the depths of a grave.
"Go away, Morgaine. This is not your fight. Go away to your people at the Twilight Provinces. Go away and live among the trees, the dragons and the unicorns. Why waste an elf's life, a life of thousands of years, to a war that's not your own?"
Pain filled her heart, but she gathered her strength and moved close to him, making him face her.
"To my people, I'm dead. To the dead, I'm lost. Lost ever since I embraced the creature of Death and Fire. All I have left is this ...life, and it's mine to give as I please". She took his face in her hands. "If you will take it".
He looked at her for an eternity, still struggling inside between the urge to hold her in his arms and the desire to send her away and spare her the suffering. But the tears that were forming in her eyes made him realise that it had never been his decision. They have both been dancing in a tune that had been composed by unseen forces ages ago. Pawns on a chessboard, the Bishop and the Queen. Could they dare to dream of reaching a checkmate? And he lowered his head and kissed her, slowly at first, and then more demanding, as her body was pressed on his own. As the old fire rose again, he pushed her towards the bed. Between kisses and bites, he managed to ask her one last question.
"Are we done talking?" he muttered breathlessly.
"Yes", she replied, unbuckling his pants.
"At last", he mumbled, and climbed on top of her.
~*~
With their lust temporarily satiated they lied in bed, contend at each other's presence. She was resting her head on his chest, her fingers tracing abstract shapes on his skin.
"You know", she said casually, "I dreamt of you during my recovery".
"I know", he replied, smiling at her surprised face as she turned and looked at him. "Whitebone told me you were calling my name in your fever", he added, stroking her hair.
"He did? Then he knows about us. And, in my best guess, so does Dumbledore", she replied, retracing the path from his chest to his forearm, stroking lightly the Death Mark. "Did it hurt, when he gave you this?"
"Yes". He wasveryvery keen on talking tonight. He never was, actually, unless it was bullying a student. To her surprise, he spoke again, this time changing the subject. "Does Dumbledore know of Malfoy's plot?"
"Not in every detail, but I believe he has guessed most of it", she replied, wishing that Lucius name wouldn't come up again that night.
"When will you meet him again?" he asked her coldly, pushing her head upwards so he could see her eyes.
"Sometime in the next ten days", she replied as casually as possible.
"When you do, don't let me know. I understand your reasons for doing so, but I still hate the whole issue. I might not react well". The ice in his voice scared her, and she held him closer, trying to warm her heart.
After a moment of hesitation, he returned the embrace.
There was no more talking that night. Just a peaceful sleep for both of them, after a very long time.
~*~
Autumn turned to winter and the Yule Bowl was the event everyone was talking about. Morgaine was not very happy about it, remembering the events of another Yule Feast two years ago. To her relief, she had been successful in dodging Malfoy's invitations. On Yule morning she realised with surprise that the last couple of months she had been actually happy. And she dreaded the moment she'd have to pay the price of her happiness.
The bowl was a success. Snape had the time of his life, patrolling the gardens and blasting horny teenage couples from the rose bushes, deducting points from everyone. As he walked closer to where she was standing, she couldn't help giggling. This must be his best Christmas present ever, she thought. Karkaroff, who had become like a shade to Snape, had fled as he noticed her inquiring stare. They were alone in the cool night breeze.
"Having a good time?" she teased him.
"Actually, I do", he replied, looking exactly like a well-fed cat by a warm fireplace.
"Then", she started with a naughty sparkle in her eyes, "is it too much to hope for a dance?"
"I don't dance", he replied, disgusted by the thought.
She sighed.
"As I had expected. Then, since you've done such a good work clearing up the bushes from students-" She paused, the mischievous smile returning to her face. "Your rose bush or mine?"
This time he couldn't keep a straight face and the hint of a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He stroked the side of her neck, letting his fingers run casually over her breast.
"Rest assured, Ms Greenleaf, you'll have enough of my 'rose bush treatment' later tonight", he purred.
"Professor Snape, Madame Greenleaf, a word if you please!"
They both froze on their heels on hearing the Headmaster's voice behind them. Morgaine's face had turned white, a bright pink shade manifesting on the tips of her pointy ears. As for Snape, he looked as if he had been caught with his pants down.
On turning, they saw not only Dumbledore, but McGonagall as well, with a disapproving expression on her face.
"This is important", said the Headmaster in a firm voice. "Come with me, both of you".
Silent, they followed Dumbledore and McGonagall on the corridor leading to the Headmaster's office. Then he stopped and turned to look at them. To her surprise, Morgaine saw grief and sympathy on his face.
"Morgaine", he started his voice gentle but sad, "I'm afraid I have bad news. I have just received a message from the Guild". He stopped, and Morgaine's heart lost a heartbeatAuriAurion Whitebone is dead".
She thought she would collapse. Gathering all her strength, she grasped Snape's arm to steady herself.
"How?" she managed to say in a faint voice.
Dumbledore looked at her with tearful eyes.
"By his own hand. Nah-kator".
Ritual Suicide.
This time, Morgaine collapsed to the floor, pale as the marble beneath her.