Vector's Challenge

Chapter 28

Saturday in Confession

Emmy Vector touched her hand to the holy water font as she entered the Hogwarts Catholic chapel, and signed herself with the Cross and water in the ancient Catholic ritual. She touched her forehead, breastbone, left shoulder, right shoulder with wet fingertips. In nomine Patrii et Filii et Spiritui Sancti Amen.

She let out a puff of breath as she stared at the confessional. This was going to be one of the worst ones of her entire life, about as bad as the one after she had killed those Death Eaters. She knocked on the confessional box door. Silence. No one in it, then. She put a hand to the confessional door, and pulled it open. Father Sorin had a routine; he was here every Saturday from 9-10 am and again from 4-5 pm in case anyone wanted to do a formal confession with him. In most other churches, there would have been a little set of red and green lights to let people know the priest was here and that the confessional box was occupied, but this was Hogwarts, with no electricity.

Emmy stepped into the confessional, closed the door behind her, and knelt down on the prie-dieu, facing the screen between her and Father. It was so much easier to confess with at least the pretense of anonymity.

Emmy cleared her throat, and said, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned."

"Good morning, my daughter," Father Sorin said.

Emmy went on with the ritual words, "My last confession was oh, five weeks ago."She swallowed, and said, "Since then, I have committed fornication with my fiancé three times, wanted to break my sworn word to him that we would marry, inspired a married man to attempt to commit adultery with me, been ready to kill said married man, been angry with my fiancé, the Headmaster, and my students, hit one of my students across the face, taken the name of God in vain about, oh, fifty times, used foul language, failed to introduce my fiancé to my family until he forced me to do so, am encouraging a relationship between my brother and one of my students, corrected homework on Sunday, and performed a lascivious dance in public. And for all these sins and for all the sins I cannot remember, I am heartily sorry."

She heard a sigh froather Sorin on the other side of the grille. "Let us take a moment together to thank God for the graces He has given you in your life, and for the invitation to confession, and for the gift of a good and thoughtful confession." He sighed and went on, "The sins of taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain, not keeping the Sabbath, not honoring your parents, the sin of anger, and the sin of lust."

"Yes, Father," Emmy whispered.

She heard another sigh. "On the issue of anger: My daughter, I know you have a temper, and we have been through this before. Now, I know that you've got a bit of berserker in you, but you still have to control it, and do the best that you can. On the foul language and the swearing, pay more attention to your language, and talk like an English lady rather than an Irish fishwife."

Emmy let out a ghost of a laugh. "That's exactly what my father always says to me."

"Your father is a wise man," Father Sorin replied. "And on the correcting homework; I know you're busy and officially working two jobs. But do try to give yourself some time for rest and worship."

"Yes, Father," Emmy said.

"Honoring your family; remember that they love you, and that you love them, and be always ready to forgive them and say that you are sorry for your own sins. And who is the young lady you're trying to match with your brother?"

"Miss Millicent Bulstrode, Father," Emmy said.

Father Sorin went on, "Mmm. And what are your and your brother's intentions?"

"Mine are honorable, and I believe my brother's are honorable as well."

"Well, I'll speak to Miss Bulstrode. Don't abuse your power over her, but don't cut yourself off from her, either. Don't neglect your other students for her, either. And on the topic of lust, I have a great deal to say."

Emmy cringed and briefly buried her face in her hands.

Father Sorin said, "First, stay away from Lucius Malfoy, as he's a nasty piece of work. That wasn't your fault this time, but be more careful before you make any stupid bets or deliver on them. Ensure your own safety, daughter." He went on, "Second, when you chose to have intercourse with your fiancé, you committed yourself to him for life. Men can be hurt just as badly as women can by being loved and left. You would break your sworn word and your vows to him if you left, just as your first husband broke his vows to you."

Emmy flinched and gulped. "Yes, Father."

He drifted through the grille and circled to Emmy's right. "And, finally, on the issue of Snape being a father, he's lasted this long without giving any hostages to fortune! He's just getting used to the idea of taking you on, and you're used to defending yourself. If he wasn't terrified at the thought of having someone completely dependent and helpless that he's responsible for, I'd tell you to check his pulse! You rushed your fences far too quickly."

Emmy's eyes grew wide. "Well, but what if I am pregnant?" she said.

Father Sorin groaned. "That's why we tell you women to stay out of the man's bed until after the wedding, and he's had some time to adjust to all this!" He sighed, and continued, "Emmy, you don't owe the rest of your family babies. When it's time, God will send you this blessing, so don't rush God. It's God's will and grace, and not a matter of paying off an overdue debt, or about the satisfying of carnal appetites. "

Emmy got a reminiscent look in her eye at the last.

Father Sorin frowned, and said, "Part of your penance, my child, is to go drink the juice of three lemons, to take the smile off your face."

Emmy dipped her head, and said, embarrassed, "Is it that obvious?"

Father Sorin replied tartly, "I'm celibate and I've been dead since the thirteenth century. And I can tell. Yes, it is that obvious." Emmy blushed more deeply, and hid her face in her hands. "And for your further penance, I also want you to say three full rosaries, the Divine Praises, the Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Litany of All Saints."

"Yes, Father," Emmy said.

"And try not to panic your intended bridegroom anymore, at least before the wedding! He's had a lot dumped on him in a very short time; marriage, conversion and now the possibility of offspring!"

Emmy blushed and nodded.

Father Sorin gave her a piercing look. "Good. And now, make an Act of Contrition, for your sins."

Emmy cleared her throat, and chanted, "O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy Grace, to confess my sins, do penance and to amend my life. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Father Sorin said, in the close to the ritual, "And through the ministry of the Church and the power vested in me, may God grant you pardon and peace. Ego te absolvo in nomine Patrii et Filii et Spiritui Sancti," he said, as he traced a cross in the air, and Emmy crossed herself again, "I absolve you from all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Go in peace, my daughter, and try to behave yourself."

Emmy said, "Yes, Father. Thank you, Father." She got up from the prie-dieu, left the confessional, and headed toward the main altar. Father Sorin drifted after her. "I'll say the Litanies and Divine Praises with you, my daughter."

Severus Snape was quite irritated when Emmy Vector failed to show up for both the noon and the evening meal. I think that she's supposed to be here this weekend. But it's easier to get blood from a stone than information out of her. That Woman is harder to keep track of than an entire herd of Demiguises. He used the Designo me Charm, and wound up in the corridor by the Catholic chapel again. He heard more chanting in Latin, with Emmy's voice answering Father Sorin's. There was a plate out in the hall, with three lemons on it, cut in half and squeezed out.

He opened the door of the chapel, and went in. Emmy was kneeling on the floor in front of the main altar again. He silently walked up the aisle, and offered her his arm. She got up slowly with his assistance. He pulled out the throat drops and administered the potion.

He said, "I should get you some knee pads."

She said, "We won't need them as much after we get married."

Snape smirked at that, and had a bit of a coughing fit. He went on, "So you've been on your knees all day and wearing out your voice. What is an intelligent woman like you doing letting this dead man telling you what to do? This is one of those weird Catholic things again, isn't it?"

Emmy glared at him, and replied, "Yes, and I've also been drinking lemon juice as part of my penance."

Snape raised his eyebrow, and asked, "Is that supposed to take the sin from your soul?"

Emmy shrugged. "Father Sorin said it was to take the smile off my face."

Snape gave her a slow smirk. He said, "Oh really? How many lemons? Only one?"

Emmy shook her head, and replied, "One for each time, Severus."

Snape remembered seeing the plate with its three lemons cut in half, and grinned. He put his arm around her shoulder, and said, "They do sell lemon juice by the quart in Hogsmeade, my dear."

Emmy started laughing, and said, "Severus, I just got out of confession, and I'd really like to make it to Mass next morning without needing to go again beforehand."

Snape calmly said, "Well, let's Apparate to a Sunday Mass somewhere, and then come back here. It must be Sunday somewhere in the world, correct?"

Emmy laughed again. "Severus, it's 'go and sin no more', not 'you're paid up, carry on!'"

Snape retorted, "I must say, the sacrament of penance is greatly overrated."

Emmy dissolved into a fit of giggles at that, and said, "You must have read a misprinted Bible, one that said 'sin on more.'"

He laughed at that and escorted her out of the chapel and into the corridor. Her arm was around him, and his arm was around her shoulder. He said, "What did you tell me about the just man?" He leaned over and kissed her earlobe. He could smell her perfume when he did that, all spicy and pleasant.

"Severus!"

Snape turned her so that she was trapped against the wall. He said, "I'm not asking for seventy times seven a day," and he kissed her neck where it showed above her robes.

Emmy gasped. "Good, because I could not physically stand that, "she took in another sharp breath as he kissed her again in that same spot, "even if you could physically manage it."

Snape took a deep breath. A challenge. "Well, there are Potions..."

Emmy interrupted, "I don't even want to think about it!"

Snape ignored her, and continued, "But there are unfortunate side effects. You know how Pepper-Up Potion makes smoke come out of your ears?"

Emmy tried to suppress her laughter, and failed miserably. Her face was red. "That's not necessary, Severus. Really. I'd be satisfied with much, much less."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Satisfied? I'd like to do a damn sight better than merely satisfied."

Emmy blushed even redder. Snape's hands slid down her shoulders, her arms, and then to her hands. He rubbed her palms with his thumbs, and brought her hands up to his lips. He kissed them slowly and deliberately. Emmy closed her eyes to concentrate on the sensation of his warm lips against her cool hands. "Sated, now, would be a lot more enjoyable, for the both of us, I think."

Emmy's breath grew raspy. She opened her eyes, and started shaking her head. "Severus, " she gasped out, and then started opening and closing her mouth rapidly, trying to form words. "We are playing with lightning here. I can't go to bed with you again until we're married, I just can't."

"But do you want to, Emmy dear? Do you find me tempting? Do you want to break all those Catholic rules with me? To roll around with the Slytherin snake, hmm?"

Emmy nodded, and whispered, "God help me, yes, Severus." She swallowed. "But I want to keep my promises to you, and to God, as well."

He said, "I see." He dropped her hands, and turned away with a swirl of his cloak. Emmy sighed and took a step toward him. He wheeled around and caught her again, and gave her a kiss on the mouth, another one of those take-no-prisoners ones. He let her go and set her down on the floor. "Pleasant dreams, Emmy, while you're alone in your holy, chaste, cold, lonely bed up in the Ravenclaw eyrie. I'll be down in my bedroom, thinking about you on Halloween night and All Hallows morning."

She backed away from him as he glared at her, until she walked into the side of an archway. She turned and fled, hiking her robes up to her knees, running as rapidly as she could. He smirked, and silently set off after her. Not that he was planning on catching her, or that he would do anything to her that she really didn't want him to do, but her fortress had inhabitants within that were on his side, and he knew it now.

The Bloody Baron floated up to him as he followed Emmy. "Snape! We need you! The fifth-year girls are fighting in the Slytherin common room!"

Previously that evening, Millie Bulstrode had been writing Michael Vector a letter in the fifth-year-girls' dormitory. It wasn't the safest place, but the library was closed for the evening, and the Slytherin common room was too public a place to write a letter like that.

Unfortunately, Pansy Parkinson saw Millie writing the letter. "What are you up to, Bulstrode?" she asked.

"Nothing," Millie replied.

"Nothing that involves a quill, ink, and parchment?" Pansy sneered. "What are you writing?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Parkinson. Now go away and go find Draco or something," Millie retorted. "I'm busy."

Pansy reached across the bed, and grabbed the letter. Millie grabbed for it as well, but only succeeded in tearing it in half. Pansy ran out to the common room, shouting, "Bulstrode-the-Troll's writing to her boyfriend!"

"Give me that back, Parkinson!" Millie shouted as she ran after Pansy.

"Bulstrode's got a boyfriend, Bulstrode's got a boyfriend," Pansy sing-songed.

Millie pointed her wand at Pansy, and said, "Accio letter!"

Pansy responded to this, and the piece of parchment was torn into shreds as the two Slytherins fought over it. Millie screamed in rage, and started hexing Pansy. Snape burst into the common room after Millie had hit Pansy with about six different hexes, and Pansy had hit Millie with one.

Snape barked, "Bulstrode! Parkinson! What is the meaning of this?"

The two looked at him, then at each other. "She started it," Millie said.

Pansy couldn't talk due to all the hexes, and Snape had to pronounce the "Finite Incantatem." Pansy collapsed on the floor.

"You bitch!" she shouted at Millie. She got up, shakily.

Snape said, "Malfoy, Greengrass, take Parkinson to the infirmary. Bulstrode, come with me."As soon as the two were in Snape's office, he asked Millie, "Bulstrode, what the hell was all that commotion about?"

Millie gave him a sullen look. "I was writing a letter to someone, and Pansy took it from me and out into the common room. She was going to read it aloud, and I tried to get it back from her. She tore it up, so I started hexing her."

Snape sighed. "Gods. Who was the letter to?"

Millie thrust her lower lip out. "It was personal, sir."

Snape sighed. "Presumably not your family, or you wouldn't have cared who saw it. It was to Michael Vector, wasn't it?"

Millie's face went very blank.

Snape said, "For Merlin's sake, why, Bulstrode?"

Millie glared at him. "Because he's the only person I've ever met who takes me seriously and thinks I'm beautiful."

Snape thought, Well, he's honestly sincere, but on the other hand, he's a dangerous idiot. He groaned, "Bulstrode, he's twenty years older than you are! He's my age, dammit! Old enough to be your father! Why can't you get interested in a boy your own age?"

Millie tilted her head. "Professor Snape, I don't like boys my age, and they don't like me. And besides," she gave him a wicked smile, "either of you would have had to have started very young to have a child my age."

Snape sighed, and mumbled to himself, "Maybe Draco was right, and the Vectors do have some sort of strange power to attract Slytherins." He shook his head, and continued more loudly, "Anyway, you cannot use the Bat-Bogey Hex, the Furnuculus charm, the Confundus Charm, the Conjunctivitis Curse, Rictusempra, Densaugeo, or the Leek Curse on your fellow House members."

Millie spat out, "Well, that doesn't leave me much of anything but Unforgiveables, does it?"

Snape went on, "If you will let me finish, Miss Bulstrode. I know a magical code, that if intercepted, will turn the text into very unflattering comments about the person holding the paper that the text is written on, and then a voice will start reading the comments aloud. It's something like a Howler."

Millie gave him a slow grin. "Have I ever told you that you're the best Head of House in this entire school, sir?"

Snape smirked. "Do tell me when the fun starts, Miss Bulstrode." He cleared his throat. "But there is still the matter of hexing a fellow House member. Thirty points from Slytherin and a detention, with me, not Professor Vector. And no running to her to tell her how many points you lost over a letter to her brother."

Millie sighed. "Yes, sir."

Snape frowned. "And tell me, Bulstrode, why were you writing such a private letter in your dormitory? It's not the best place to do such a thing."

Millie frowned. "The library was closed, sir, and it's past curfew."

Snape pursed his lips. Maybe the Catholic thing will scare her off, or at least I'll have done my duty by warning her what's she's getting involved in... He said, softly, "I wonder if you could find it..."

"Find what, sir?" Millie asked.

Snape cleared his throat. "There is a Catholic chapel here in Hogwarts, that is apparently under some very strong variants of the Confundus Charm. It cannot be found by anyone who seeks it with evil intent."

Millie's eyes brightened. "I see. Have you been there, sir?"

Snape nodded. "The Catholic religion seems to be fairly important to the Vectors. You will probably want to inform yourself more about it before you commit yourself even further. Professor Vector seems to like spending time in that chapel on her knees, chanting until her voice wears out and she can't get up without assistance. It appears to be some sort of strange Catholic thing, doing penance for what a thirteenth-century celibate tells her are sins."

Bulstrode said, "Like blood rituals?"

Snape thought, Your family told you that? There could be worse things than Michael Vector in your future..."I believe not, but you will want to talk to the Fat Friar for more details."

After she left, Snape wondered if he ought to warn Father Sorin. The girl's likely to cross-examine him on Catholic doctrine, and she will be doing it from a knowledge base of deep black magic, so he might want to burn her at the stake. On the other hand, if he tries, he'll have Mike Vector to deal with, and that would keep him busy with matters other than my love life. Snape's mouth twisted at this thought, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction at the thought of Michael Vector dealing with Father Sorin. He muttered, "Lemons, of all things. There's no reason Emmy can't add a bit of water and some sugar. If your confessor gives you lemons, make lemonade."

End of Chapter 28