The Silver Cauldron

Chapter 14 - Imperio

"Unicorn hair and Cypress. What a very unusual combination your wand is made from Miss Almanay."

"Give it back."

"Strange that such a pure core should be shrouded by a traditionally evil wood."

"Strange that such a pure intention should be stopped by such an evil tutor" I replied scathingly. "Now please give me back my wand." He twirled it between his long fingers.

"No, I don't think I will. Not yet. You haven't apologised."

"What for?"

"For teaching Longbottom behind my back."

"He needed the help." I said stubbornly. Snape's eyes narrowed.

"I am the potions master of this school and I decide which students need help and which are simply lazy."

"Neville is not lazy!"

"Of course he is. Why else would he suddenly do well when there is an attractive young woman to teach him?" I glared at him.

"This has nothing to do with my job, has it? You don't care about Neville any more than you care about me. You're just angry that I managed to teach him something you failed to do."

"What did you say?" he spat.

"You failed. I have beaten you. A mudblood has beaten you." Snape's face became ashen and his eyes sparkled with malice. He put both his hands upon my wand as though he was going to break it in half.

"Apologise. This instant."

"No." He bent the stem of the wand further, and I felt a weird pain in my heart.

"Don't."

"Get on your knees and beg for my forgiveness." I could see the wood of my wand begin to shudder. It hurt. It really hurt.

"Well?" The wand emitted a high pitched shriek. I couldn't stand it any longer. I threw myself onto the floor and whispered; "Sorry." His lips became a smirk.

"What was that?"

"Sorry. I'm sorry. Now please give me back my wand." He held it just out of my reach.

"Show me you mean it."

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean my darling." He brushed one of his hands across my cheek.

"No." I said firmly. " Not again. No more."

"Wrong answer" he hissed. "Try again."

"I won't let you. You can't do this to me any longer."

"Oh, I can. And I will." he deliberately began to unbutton the front of my robes. I hit out at him, he flinched and knocked over the candle on his desk. It went out. Through the darkness I saw him point the wand at me, his face livid.

"IMPERIO!"

My mind went completely blank. I wondered vaguely why I had my hands clenched together. There was an odd rushing noise, like the sea. Then I realised it was my own blood pulsing through my body. Then I heard his voice. I automatically followed the command. I couldn't see or feel anything, I just knew I had to obey the voice, or something terrible would happen.

The curse was suddenly lifted. I was laying on the freezing floor, my arms wrapped around him, gasping for breath. My robes were drenched in sweat and his hands were upon me, crawling all over my body. I was shaking, exhausted. He smirked at the horrified look upon my face.

"I always win my darling. Always." I thought I was going to faint. I couldn't believe what he'd just done.

"How...how could you?" I burst into sobs.

"Quiet." He moved off of me and I felt the cold air upon my bare skin. Shivering uncontrollably I drew the remnants of my torn robes about me.

"I...I thought you loved me. I now realise how mistaken I was."

"I do love you. But you need to understand that I will not tolerate disobedience in our relationship. You need to be taught."

"Don't you think I have any feelings? I am a real human being, not some toy you can play with and then discard. Do you want to kill me? Is that what you want?" he sighed and stood up. As he shook his robes straight folds of dark material spread like waves across the floor.

"Miss Almanay, please don't be so hysterical. I could have made you do much worse things. And it isn't as if you didn't want to, is it?" I felt furious. I flung myself at him, not caring for the consequences. I wanted to hurt him, hurt him as much as he'd hurt me.

"How dare you! Is that what you take me for? Someone who can be used because she has no feelings, no function except to cater to your selfish pleasures?" he caught hold of my arms to prevent me hitting him again.

"Calm down." His voice was shaky. I continued to struggle, but he easily overpowered me and held me fast against him.

"CALM DOWN!" At last I relaxed, all spent.

"What are you going to do with me now? Throw me to the Dementors because I won't be your slave?" His eyes travelled across my tear stained face. He looked concerned, even sorry. He let his lips touch mine. I accepted the kiss like a cold marble statue. With a sharp cry he abruptly let go of me; there was real anguish in his eyes.

"I do love you. I love you so much. You don't understand what it's like to exist in a world of hatred and doubt. You are too young. Too innocent." I felt a lump grow in my throat. I did understand, only too well. I wasn't the person he thought I was.

"Yes. Yes I do" I said. I picked my wand up from the floor. The smooth wood was calm, comforting between my fingers. I was in a state of confusion. I wanted to kiss him then, to show I understood why he'd done it. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. There was another desire in my heart, one personified by the tiny, hairline fractures running across my wand. The desire for revenge. I shook myself together and opened the door.

"Come, Professor."

"Where?" he looked at me dazedly.

"I want to show you something."