The Tenth Rule

Disclaimer - Severus Snape belongs to JK Rowling, as do various locations and several characters mentioned in this fiction. Voldemort has been defeated, the Golden Trio have long since left Hogwarts. Bethany and Alice are original creations. This piece is not written for profit - merely warped pleasure…

Warning. - If stories that involve themes of S & M and/or sexual relations between characters with distinct age differences disturbs or offends you, do not read The Tenth Rule. You will not like it. You have been warned.

Thanks. - Many thanks to Beckie who started this tale with me and co-wrote the first two chapters; but even more thanks to Natalie (http://adultfan.nexcess.net/aff/authors.php?no=6136) who stepped in when Beckie could not continue - and co-wrote the remaining chapters with me. Thank you.

Rating - 18/NC-17

The Tenth Rule

Chapter One

Bethany and Alice had a friendship so close they could almost be sisters. The friendship had pretty much become established since they met in their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They had been placed next to each other in their very first Transfiguration lesson, sitting next to one another on a bench for two people, two silent strangers. It had been very awkward for the first few lessons; they were polite and careful as strangers are not to make physical contact or to linger when looking at each other for too long. At first they were mildly irritated by each other, their contrasting interests alienated them.

It was to be a delightful irony that the very reasons they didn’t want to get too close at the beginning was the reason now why they were so familiar and inseparable. They were the very epitome of opposites attracting. Though neither girl could be described as stunningly attractive they were passably pretty. Alice was willowy and blonde with expressive dewy, blue doe-eyes. She blushed easily at any crude reference and spoke in barely more than a whisper. But she was also incredibly sweet, very thoughtful and attentive. She cried easily but was witty and sharp when her confidence allowed her to be. Bethany was a little more forward; she was the girl who made the crude references and smutty jokes for her friend to blush at. She had waves of flowing chestnut hair and deep mahogany eyes that were quick and observant. Bethany didn’t miss a trick; she was always the first to see the innuendo in every situation. Still, she wasn’t particularly loud or boisterous. She held a refined edge of composure and dignity that Alice depended upon, the quiet within the storm. Bethany was one of those girls who was a born sensualist even though it had not been brought fully to her attention yet. She was quite aware that she was terribly preoccupied with matters of carnality, but it had never really occurred to her that it might be because deep down inside she wanted to explore that part of herself. To be fair, the thought of sex made both girls get a little silly and giggly.

They were both sixteen and only just. It was terribly obvious that both girls would be somewhat obsessed with their ever-changing bodies and the developing curiosity within. The thing was, Bethany and Alice only spent their free time with one another so there was not really much opportunity for their imaginations to run riot. The girls had made the fatal mistake of not making the effort to socialise more in their first year so their friendships were startlingly limited for girls of their age. It was the stark differences in their personalities that kept them bonded as a strict duet. Alice found in Bethany the brashness she always wished she had, the daring to make that quip just the littlest bit saucier. Alice didn’t want to be like her as such, having a girl of such attitude and boldness as a best friend was more than enough excitement. Though there was the slightest bit of envy at times when Bethany made a joke that resulted in the gasps of others, she wished she had that kind of humour, or rather that she dared to. It was the fear of being laughed at that Alice had and that was the result that Bethany craved. Bethany didn’t want to be the centre of attention by any means; she had her incredibly shy and modest times. In fact, on reflection, there were a lot of aspects of Alice’s personality that Bethany admired and coveted.

Alice was very demure and sensual, though she would never believe it if anyone told her. She had a way with looks and gentle touches that could speak volumes. Also, because Alice chose not to speak so often, when she did people really listened to her. When Bethany spoke it was usually expected that she would have something mildly dirty to She She just couldn’t help herself, whereas Alice always humoured her friend and gave a tinkling little laugh, spiralling a tendril of her flaxen hair teasingly around a finger.

Both girls were nearly at bursting point. The fact that spending most of their free time together and alone while they admired each others qualities didn’t hmuchmuch either. They lacked in experience for girls of their age; they had failed in all attempts at having boyfriends. Strangely enough, Alice had been the first to succeed in what could only be described as a minor sexual experience. A boy named Dominic Esler from their year, the sixth year, had tongue-kissed her during their extremely brief relationship. Both girls spoke of it as though Alice had achieved something of great accomplishment and merit in the sexual sense, although it had been quite clear what Mr. Esler had been after in the relationship within minutes of their first date. Bethany herself had experienced what could best be described as a few experimental kisses, but none of them had been of the French variety like her friend’s, her relationships had been equally short and disastrous with the boys both in and out of Hogwarts. They talked of each other’s failures often, when their conversations came to how pathetic they deemed their love lives to be, which was of course their most frequent topic of conversation.

Living and working in a school filled wall to wall with testosterone and pheromones was no easy task for two inexperienced sixteen year olds, especially when nearly all the males had been taken, well all those they considered by their immature standards as being the most reasonably good-looking and normal ones at least!

A few crushes had occurred over their years of friendship, none too devastating. A few relationships too and the remainders of the one with Mr. Esler was currently causing problems for Alice. Bethany had once lusted after a sixth year when they had been in their third year. She progressed through all the usual stages of lust; the despair, the depression, the lust you could never hope to quell without the object of your affections returning the favour. Alice was the perfect companion as always, comforting with the usual clichéd reminders of how she could do so much better and if he didn’t see what a gorgeous person she so obviously was then he didn’t deserve her. Alice was secretly pleashat hat the boy hadn’t liked Bethany in return. It would have resulted in the death of their friendship if a boy came permanently on the scene.

The girls went relatively unnoticed by most of the other students except for the odd few who they could sit with at dinner or during seasonal Quidditch matches. No-one got close enough to Bethany or Alice to make contact with them over the school holidays, but as the girls were in different Hogwarts houses, it was unavoidable that they would unite with a few others. Bethany was a Ravenclaw and Alice was a Slytherin, a choice the sorting hat had made that shocked most people. Alice didn’t have a devious, sly or malicious bone in her body so just how she ended up there was a perpetual mystery to all.

She kept her head down and got on with her work, remaining polite to all her fellow Slytherins, not wanting to make any enemies in the school’s most notorious house. The thought that in the evenings and at the weekends and even in certain lessons she would have all the time she wanted with Bethany kept her going and eventually she grew to accept her fate as Slytherin’s only signet. She was liked by most but she kept her distance, preferring to be part of one solid friendship unit.

\"Would you believe it...\" whispered Alice leaning in towards her friend as they walked the long stone corridors, the hustle and bustle and the voices and laughter of the other students echoing loudly in this one of the many arterial vaulted passageways that lead from the classrooms, to their various dorms and common rooms. It was too early for dinner, and most of the students used this time at the end of the day to either study, or wind-down, get washed and relax before dinner.

\"Don\'t tell me you didn\'t expect it,\" replied Bethany glancing at the sixth year who passed by them without so much as a glance in their direction, too busy pursuing his next conquest; Hilary Bourne. The pretty, small brunette was laughing and flirting coquettishly at this sudden attention from one of the most sought after of all the sixth year males.

\" Professes undying love one minute, and then drops me like a boiling cauldron the next because I won\'t allow him in my knickers, especially not on our first date!\" Alice squeaked in anger.
Bethany laughed. \"Oh come on now…you didn\'t like him that much anyway.\"

Inwardly Bethany was immensely relieved the budding relationship did not come to anything. Though outwardly she had struggled, albeit convincingly to encourage her friends hopes for some sort of relationship with the boy, inwardly she had been trying to cope with a confusing, though undeniably, powerful jealousy. She was confused because she couldn’t establish whether that jealousy was actually directed towards Alice, or the object of her affection, and if it was directed at Alice, then how could such a negative destructive emotion even rise up within her toward a friend she held dear? Alice had been fixated on Dominic Esler for the past three months. One thing Bethany was certain of was the fact the foundations of the jealousy was not because Bethany had wanted him to ask her out on a date, not at all, she thought him a slimy little creep, she couldn\'t understand why 70% of the girls found him so attractive; she was jealous that Alice\'s attention, and interests were constantly being diverted from her.... to him, since she discovered his sudden, new found skills at Quidditch. Bethany had thought him mediocre, but he had done something for Alice it had seemed that day, and from then on she had almost idolised him. When he had asked Alice out - one of his friends had told him of her fixation of him - Bethany had been bitterly jealous, struggling to maintain cheer and excitement for her friend, whilst twisted and tormented within at the risk of losing the unique bond they had developed over the years they had been together at Hogwarts, and the fact she was still without a boyfriend herself and hadn’t even been recently approached.

Bethany tried to not let it concern her, but she wasn’t sure what she was feeling really and so preferred to keep the awkward thoughts as far back in her subconscious as they would go. She had found herself watching Alice more often, actually being aware that she was openly staring at times. What she was looking for when she stared she wasn’t sure, but it was making her feel uncomfortable, and realising with dread that much as she tried to deny it, it was becoming increasingly possible she was starting to become a little jealous of her friend. She had become very aware of how pretty she was. Her eyes were so glassy and wide with naiveté. Her skin was so pale and her hair was such a light blonde. Bethany was her closest friend and she had seen her change through their friendship, her hips widen, her breasts appear and now she was reminded of her body constantly, even when looking at her own she would mentally compare, and realised Alice would always be first choice with the boys. When they were younger it didn\'t matter; now it seemed it did. Out of the two of them she was always going to be the one left behind.

On the evening of the arranged date between Alice and Dominic, Bethany could no longer play-act for her friend, feigning chronic menstrual cramps, and retreating to her bed to avoid the joyous and gleeful excitement of the preparations Alice was making for her first date with Dominic; it had taken a staggering amount of self control not to whoop with joy or laugh with relief when Alice had with fury and outrage recounted her first and what transpired to be her last date with Dominic. Alice had not been emotionally hurt by the disastrous date, but her pride had taken a severe battering, and 24 hours later she was still smarting, made all the worse by witnessing Dominic’s blatant pursuit of Hilary Bourne.

\"Oh forget him Alice!\" Bethany linked her arm into her friends,\' \"come on.... let\'s go up to the lookout! Mum sent me some of those packets of chocolate cookies, let\'s have some now!\"

Alice grinned broadly and the two girls hurried along.

What they called The Look-Out was in fact one of the many small, unoccupied rooms within one of the tall turreted towers of Hogwarts. It was almost impossible for the two girls to visit each other in their own dorms because of their opposing houses, the hostile glares, and the suspicion that one or the other, particularly a Slytherin was there to spy, the girls sought a place of their own that would upset no one. They had found it one day by accident whilst exploring the permitted areas of the school. It was a tiny room, perhaps once used as a storeroom, but it was empty, stonewalls bare, the worn flagstones dusty from the passage of time. There was one small mullioned window that due to the thickness of the walls, created a wide enough stone ledge for the two girls to sit together. The window could not be opened, its hinges seized up through lack of use and age, which was just as well. It was dizzyingly high if they looked straight down, but looking out over the broad vista of mountains and lakes, it was a spectacular view.

They spent a lot of time in this small room, it was secluded, and a place of retreat when they wished to discuss subjects they didn\'t want their other friends privy to.

\"Bethany?\" Alice looked at her friend beside her. Now that they were older and bigger the space on the ledge had become increasingly smaller, and they were closely hunched together. The close proximity did not bother either girl; in fact they drew comfort from it.

\"Hmm?\" Bethany munched contentedly upon her second cookie whilst staring out at the apricot and scarlet sunset before them. The lake had transformed to molten gold.

\"Do you think I might be...\" Alice hesitated with the words, \"…frigid, or a prude?\"

\"What?\" Bethany’s attention was ripped from the sunset to the concerned expression in her friend\'s face.

Alice, so sweet and gentle, hair the colour of honey and milk, so thick and luxurious. She recalled the time Alice had toyed with the idea of dyeing it the same colour as her own, a deep chestnut brown. Bethany had managed to talk her out of it, but not without several arguments first.

\"Is that what he said to you?\" She asked angrily.

\"Well, actually, he said....\" Alice sighed...his words rang in her ears, stinging, and she could feel her face redden. She had a fair complexion and she blushed so easily.

\"He said I was an uptight bitch!\"

Bethany bit hard on the cookie, crunching furiously to avoid her angry retort. \"Hey...\" she said at last, swallowing her cookie and her anger. \"Don\'t let him make you feel there\'s something wrong with you, just because he didn\'t get his leg over! Just because other girls have dropped their knickers on the first date with him, doesn\'t mean you should! Besides, what good did it do any of them? Longest he\'s ever dated a girl is a week, I think! The minute he\'s had it off with them, he\'s dumped them! Typical male!\"

Alice sighed. She knew his reputation. She had just hoped, as all his girlfriends before had hoped, that she would be the one he would get serious with.

\"I\'ve hardly had any boyfriends...he lasted all of five hours!\" She was going to add I can\'t even kiss properly; but felt that would be unfair to announce such an embarrassing confession on her friend.

Bethany shrugged. They\'d had this conversation countless times before. \"I\'ve not had that many either, less than you even; besides, all the while we\'re here the chances are zero in getting any more! We\'re all kids here! The guys here know nothing about how to treat a girl, they’re so immature and well...some of them still need to get to grips with personal hygiene, and as to experience! They have none! No, I\'m in no hurry...I want a man, a real man say...about four years older than me...20, 21...I might even consider 25!\"

Alice\'s blue eyes widened. \"So much older! You\'re only just sixteen!\"

\"So?\" laughed Bethany. \"And what\'s wrong with 25? That\'s nothing, and at that age at least he\'ll have experience. So... as there\'s no students here of that age...that just leaves the staff, and professors!\"

Both girls laughed.... and screwed up their faces in distaste.

\"Eeww...they\'re all so old....\" wailed Alice.

\"Well, even if there was a gorgeous young one that started here...he wouldn\'t be allowed to have relationships with students...so...\" Bethany gave a mock sigh....\" we\'ll just have to be patient!\"

Alice leaned her head back against the stone and pondered the setting sun before her.

\"Nothing would have come of it anyway...\" mused Alice thoughtfully, \" Dominic’s breath stunk...\"

The two girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.

\"Here, have another.\" Bethany proffered the biscuit packet to her friend. \" I\'m certainly not in any hurry...I\'ve got enough with the lessons and homework without messing my head up over a boy!\"

A companionable silence fell for several minutes, Alice resuming her gaze upon the rapidly encroaching dusk.

Conversations were often interspersed with moments of thoughtful musings. They knew each other too well for either one to worry there might be something wrong with these silences.

Despite Bethany\'s thoughtful reassurances, Alice was easily embarrassed and not quite snug enough in her womanhood to recognise or appreciate the new feelings she was experiencing in the waking of her body, and was confused by her repulsion and rejection of Esler\'s advances. It wasn\'t as if she hadn\'t expected him to try it on! She just hadn\'t expected to freeze and be so disgusted, and she couldn\'t truthfully explain it away as Esler\'s bad breath entirely because she seemed to have the same reaction to the few boyfriends she had had! She was quite educated in sex in the school anatomy and sexual-education sense, but not in the practical sense, she was still at that point of wonder only a teenager could know about where even the thought of someone touching her most sensitive parts sent a warm rush of blood to those exact regions making her feel strange and desperate, yet so far, when the thoughts became possible reality, the sensations became rapidly the reverse! With a spark of annoyance she pushed the thoughts from her head, she was barely sixteen; she was expecting far too much of herself. There was no reason to think there was anything wrong, perhaps she was just a slow developer!

\"I\'m in no hurry either,\" Alice said at last; picking up the threads of their last conversation.

\"Come on, we\'d best get washed for dinner,\" said Bethany jovially, concerned Alice might start getting all depressed and angry yet again over yet another of her failed relationships.