The Rose Of Avalon

Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter does not belong to me. I did not create it and I make no money for writing stories that have to deal with it. Only JKR has that privilege. (I just enjoy playing with them so much, I’m a true addict! I hope she won’t mind too terribly!)

A/N: Okay... So I took a serious look at this story and decided that I needed to go back and start over with it... Too many people that didn’t read Beauty because they aren’t interested in that pairing would come, check the story out and be like: what is this all about? So, I have decided to retry this... For those of you that already started this, Ch 1 is still the same. It has not been changed... The prologue is new, and the 2nd chapter is new... Perhaps it will be better now that it has been done a little better justice...

NOTICE: There is a memory within this prologue that is from a chapter in Beauty Found Within the Beast. It will help to explain to the readers that haven't read the first story what is going on in the sequel.

Ancientgirl, this is for you! I know you have been begging me to continue, so I hope you will be happy...

@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@

Prologue


Severus sat in his office, staring blindly at the parchment before him. He was trying to get back into the spirit of being back once again to teach at Hogwarts, but it was proving impossible. He mind kept reminding him of the time he had spent in Avalon, with Ginevra. He couldn’t get it out of his head.

It wasn’t the texts they had researched. Oh, no. Although the information held within them was a wealth of knowledge, his thoughts were far from the lessons he had learned from them as well. Instead, his mind kept drifting back to the beautiful witch that had been in his company when he had been there.

Her hair, her eyes... the way she glided across the room when she would be replacing one text and retrieving another. He would never have guessed when she was a student that she would blossom into a woman with all the grace of a swan. He smirked as he remembered the first time they had been in the caves of Avalon together. His heart pounded at the memory...



Severus had closed his eyes when Ginny Weasley had taken his hands. He felt for a few moments as if the ground beneath him was tilting, only to find when he opened his eyes that they were in a cavern of sorts. Torches were lit along the walls, lighting the crude hallway where they now stood. He took in their surroundings as Ginny stepped away from him.

Turning, he found himself staring at the paintings on the walls that depicted a story. In many ways they were much like hieroglyphics, except that as he stood staring at them, the pictures began to move.

For several moments he watched, mesmerized. He was drawn so deeply into the story that was depicted through the pictures that Ginny startled him when she spoke to him from behind. “Come with me. The books are stored in this chamber.”

Turning, he looked in the direction in which she pointed. He felt a strange sense of loss at not being able to stay and observe the rest of the tale the walls told.

As if sensing his distress, Ginny turned back to him. “ I can bring you back another time if you like, and you can sit glued to the report it tells as if you were watching Muggle television.”

With a nod, Severus followed her, but not without noticing all of the different scenes represented along the walls. When she led him into a darkened room that held only one candle, he dropped his jaw in awe.

There, within a glass case, was King Arthur. His face seemed vibrant and alive. It was as if he had died only yesterday and had yet to begin decomposing. Amazed, Severus moved closer to inspect the man within the case.

Ginny stood for a moment and let him take in what he was seeing. When he turned a questioning expression to her, she smiled and explained, “Merlin charmed his cadaver to remain forever young. Ageless and beautiful for all eternity.”

Severus raised an eyebrow at that. “Why? I know he was Arthur, but he was still merely a Muggle.”

Ginny met his gaze and pursed her lips impatiently. “A Muggle with a great vision. If the world had followed Arthur's lead, then there would be no animosity of Muggles. Wizards and Muggles would now live side by side, in peace.”

Severus snorted and shook his head. “There was no chance of that from the beginning. Too many a man thirsts for power. They seek to enslave that which does not belong to them. That is true of all mortal men.”

Ginny inclined her head. “As I said, if the world had followed his example. But of course, that would have only happened in a perfect world.” Her gaze locked with his. “And we know this world is far from perfect, don’t we, Professor Snape?”

Turning back to the man within the clear crystal casket, she spoke softly. “As to your question of why Merlin did this for a mere Muggle,” she smiled, “he loved Arthur as he would a son. He had practically raised him after a certain point in his life. What wouldn’t you do,” she asked softly, “for someone you loved?”

Severus contemplated her words and opened his mouth to make a flippant remark, but she had already turned and was moving to the other side of the room. “The books are here.”

Not liking that she had dismissed the subject before he could even respond, Severus followed her with a huff. “I’ll have you know that I have indeed loved.” He scowled menacingly. “It brought me nothing but pain.”

Ginny turned back to look at him. “Oh, I see. So you believe that if you give your love, it must be rewarded? Love isn’t something you can use to barter for things. Love is a gift that you give freely. Not something that is to be used to gain a prize.”

Severus stepped closer to her. “What would you know of it? You’re too young to have even felt an ounce of the pain I have in my lifetime due to loving someone.” His dark eyes searched hers, his breathing becoming unsteady in his fury.

Sighing, Ginny squared her shoulders and closed the gap between them. Standing so close that their bodies could almost touch, she spoke softly, “I know you have felt pain, Severus. But you should not think that you are the only one to have loved, but not had that love returned.”

Her discourse was so soft, that he had to bend down slightly to even hear the next words she spoke. “I have loved someone for a very long time without even the hope of that love being returned.” Her eyes were sad when next she spoke. “He sees me as nothing but a bother, and probably a waste of his time.”

Severus felt an unusual emotion coursing through him. The desire to take her in his arms was almost unbearable. He found himself leaning ever closer to her. Just when his lips could almost touch hers, she turned away from him. Suddenly the spell was broken, leaving him feeling strangely light-headed and confused.

Baffled, Severus turned in a full circle, wondering what enchantment dwelt within these walls that would make him want to kiss her. The desire still tugged at him, but it had lessened. Shaking his head, he moved to follow her to the table upon which the books sat.

She took two in her small hands, and turned to place them in his. He was watching her closely, and when she smiled at him, but avoided his gaze, he gave voice to his question, “What was that? It was some kind of magic... that much, I know. But it was unlike anything else I have ever felt. A love spell, perhaps?”

Ginny nodded, but still refused to meet his eyes. “Almost, but not entirely.” She gestured at the cavern surrounding them. “This place was built with the protective magic of love. There is a belief that if someone is here with the person they have feelings for, and confess those emotions, the recipient of those sentiments will get a heavy dose of the desires of the other.” She shrugged. “Don’t worry, Professor. The feeling will pass as soon as we get back to the manor.”

Severus nearly lost his hold on the books he was holding. She’s just confessed to me that I am the one she loves! The idea took his breath away. He would have sputtered like a fool if he had tried to say anything at that moment. So, instead, he chose silence.

When she had placed one more volume in his open arms, she took the remaining three, and then turned back to face him. “Well, now that we have what we came for, perhaps we should go back?”


No, he hadn’t wanted to go back! He had wanted to crush her within his arms and bury his face in her glorious hair. He’d wanted to lower her to the floor and make passionate love to her! He had wanted to...He had wanted to... Drat! How could he do what he had truly wanted to do? He had no right to ask to be apart of her world.

She was a Guardian of the Avalon. She wasn’t even allowed to stay in his world for extended amounts of time. Of course, she could travel back and forth between them, but she must always return. Not only that, but also, as a Guardian, she would age much slower than he would. And he was already many years her senior! he rolled his eyes in disgust. “How would her parents take to that?” he clicked his tongue and cleared his desk, preparing to take himself to his bed.

Suddenly, sparks flew from the fireplace. “Severus!” Lucius’ voice was urgent. “You must come! Baby Hope is getting ready to come into this world! You must be here!”

Standing, Severus moved to the fireplace and grabbed the Floo powder. Hermione and Lucius had married several months before and were now expecting their first baby. He was thrilled for his friend. Still, the hints of his loneliness played at the shadows of his mind. Stating his destination, he tossed the powder and was away...