XXVII: Balance of Allegiance

Chapter XXVII: Balance of Allegiance

'You wished to see me, Headmaster?'

Snape closed the heavy oak door behind himself and approached Dumbledore's desk, wondering what had happened to his plans of having a nice and quiet weekend.

'Actually, Severus, it is Poppy who wished to speak to you.'

The mediwitch looked like thunder, and Snape groaned inwardly. If she was going to tell him that Draco had made a scene in the hospital wing and demanded to talk to his daddy because his oh-so-pretty face had been mangled, he would have to visit Malfoy Manor and soothe a furious father. And that was the very last thing Snape had the desire to do that Saturday.

'It seems,' the Headmaster continued, 'that our mother-to-be is experiencing difficulties.'

Snape frowned. Morgana had seemed quite alright when she had left his office earlier. The sweets he had made for her had seemed to be working.

'The poor girl is a mess,' Poppy explained. 'Miss Parkinson found her in the dormitory, close to fainting. By the time they arrived at the hospital wing, Morgana's blood pressure was so low that I considered taking her to St. Mungo's.'

'But you did not?' Dumbledore enquired.

'No, I did not, Albus.' Poppy looked insulted. 'I managed to make her lie down and take some potions. And that was quite a task. The girl is more stubborn than a Hippogriff.'

'Classical Slytherin behaviour,' Dumbledore noted, and Snape narrowed his eyes. Why the hell had the girl not said anything? Was she really so proud that she would not admit that she was unwell? Or would she just not tell HIM? What more would he have to do to make her trust him?

'Albus,' Poppy continued, 'I have never seen a pregnancy like this. It is normal to feel queasy during the first trimester. Even headaches and nosebleeds are quite common. But Morgana is genuinely ill. She doesn't respond to any potions, and she is losing weight. It seems almost as if her body is fighting that baby.'

Dumbledore and Snape exchanged a quick look over the mediwitch's head, and Snape felt a shudder go down his spine. The girl was carrying the spawn of the devil, and she knew it. It wouldn't surprise him if her subconscious was fighting against it. And he was at a loss as to how to help her. She needed to control her emotions, to discipline her mind. He had told her how important that was. If she didn't succeed, the whole situation might just break her.

Poppy left after having declared that she would keep Morgana in the hospital for at least another day, and Dumbledore took to pacing the office.

'Of all the Slytherin traits, the girl chooses to excel in stubbornness,' he mumbled. 'She will not ask for help and is too stubborn to accept any when it is offered.'

'Did we overestimate her abilities, Headmaster?' The girl had said that she doubted her strength. Perhaps she was right.

'No, no, Severus, I don't think so. But we have to remember that Morgana is young. She is putting up a brave face, but underneath that tough shell, there is a scared little girl. A scared little girl who needs a mother figure, someone to talk to.'

'A mother figure?' Snape raised an eyebrow. 'And who, may I ask, do you have in mind, Headmaster? The girl's mother is dead.'

'Well, I was hoping you could put on a dress and go down there ...' Dumbledore chuckled at Snape's scandalized expression. 'Poppy, of course, dear boy. But the girl does need our support as well. She needs to feel that she can turn to us in any matter. I do hope that you were not too hard on her today.'

Not too hard? Snape almost snorted. When he had dragged Morgana to his study, he had seriously considered giving her a good spanking. Instead, he had ended up making sweets for her.

'Pregnancy cannot be underestimated as an easy ride, Severus,' Dumbledore continued. 'Your lenience when dealing with Morgana would be appreciated.'

'Lenience? MY lenience?!' Snape couldn't believe it. 'I sincerely hope that you do not expect me to tuck her in at night and read her a bedtime story!'

Dumbledore chuckled softly. 'My dear boy, I think Morgana is too old for that now.' Then he became serious. 'You and I both know that Lucius will not be happy about the altercation at breakfast. And whereas I am sure he will not harm Morgana, physically that is, I am also sure that she will not get away with it.'

'He will try to break her spirit. He will humiliate her.'

Dumbledore nodded gravely. 'And when the girl returns to the castle, I need you to keep your door unlocked.'

'What does my door have to do with anything?'

'I want you to listen to her, Severus. I want you to show some sympathy.'

'I am not the Samaritans, Headmaster,' Snape spat. 'She has friends to talk to.'

'Severus, please! Even you must have noticed that the girl is all alone. For some reason, she and her Ravenclaw friend have not spoken for weeks. And as we have seen at breakfast, she is hardly making friends in her own House either. And when she breaks, Severus, we cannot have her run back to Malfoy!'

Of course, they could not. And Snape knew all too well what Dumbledore was talking about. Lucius Malfoy had the ability to tear the girl to pieces with one hand and then heal her wounds with the other. And the poor thing would not even notice that he was toying with her like a Kneazle with a Pygmy Puff.

'Morgana may not show it, but she trusts you, Severus,' Dumbledore pointed out. 'Do not turn her away when she shows up at your doorstep. We need her. And we need the child she is carrying.'

Snape clenched his teeth. What more was he supposed to do?

'I do not expect you to solve any problems, Severus,' Dumbledore continued. 'Just listen. Now, do sit down. I have some Hogwarts business to discuss with you. May I offer you a drink?'

Snape cocked an eyebrow at the old man. 'It is ten thirty in the morning, Headmaster.'

'And I have lemonade.' Dumbledore poured himself a huge glass of the pink liquid. 'Are you quite sure that you don't want any, Severus?'

Snape resolutely shook his head, and Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk, sipping his sickeningly pink lemonade. 'I have been informed that the Ministry has plans for inspecting Hogwarts, Severus. It seems as if Dolores wants a second opinion on matters.' He took another gulp of lemonade and then carefully put the glass down. 'As flavoursome as this lemonade is, I think it will take more than that to appease the governors, especially Mr Malfoy.'

'Seeing as his son was punched on the nose today, you mean?' Snape enquired in a sour tone. As much as Lucius needed Morgana, he was not going to let her forget her little faux pas. 'When do you anticipate the visit by the governors?' he enquired.

'Within a week,' Dumbledore replied. 'They will want to surprise us. And I have no doubt that this inspection will give them the excuse they need to usurp me. Some of them have been looking for a way to get me out of Hogwarts for a long time. I hoped it would be later rather than sooner.'

'I assume you have made plans.' Snape fixed the Headmaster with an intense stare. This was not a time to play games, and he expected Dumbledore to tell him the truth.

The Headmaster nodded gravely. 'When the time comes, Severus, I need you to be my eyes and ears. I need you to protect the students, especially Harry and Morgana.'

'I can only do so much, Headmaster,' Snape replied. 'They are safe within these walls, but I cannot guarantee that they will stay put, especially not Potter.'

'You are the only one I would trust with that task, Severus,' Dumbledore said in a kind tone. 'I know that you are not perfect, but I also know that you will do your best. And that is more than good enough for me.'

Snape crossed his arms in front of his chest. 'I do not need your praise, Headmaster.'

Dumbledore smiled. 'I am well aware of that. But it must be said.'

Snape huffed indignantly and decided to change topics. 'I assume you will be at Grimmauld Place once the Ministry has gotten rid of you.'

'Unless they send me to Azkaban.'

'Surely, you do not intend to be captured?'

'I intend ... not to arouse suspicions. If that means following their plans for a while, then so be it.' Dumbledore's eyes twinkled mischievously. 'You and I both know that I could escape easily, but that would be too dramatic and draw too much attention. It will be far better to let them think that we are playing along.'

'My suggestion would be to disappear into thin air.'

Dumbledore shook his head. 'Too suspicious.'

Snape couldn't help but grin. 'Dumbledore, you are suspicious already.'

'Me?' He sounded genuinely surprised. 'But, Severus, I am just a doddery, old man.'

'Yes, Headmaster,' Snape replied. 'I am very much aware of that.'

Dumbledore raised his lemonade glass as if to announce a toast and took a healthy gulp. 'Tell me, Severus,' he started. 'Have you ever wanted a family of your own?'

'I fail to see the relevance of that question,' Snape stated, trying to sound unmoved. But his eyebrows, which were about to disappear under his hairline, betrayed his surprise.

'Nothing would make me happier than to see you settle down, dear boy,' Dumbledore continued, either ignoring or not noticing Snape's shocked expression.

'There is no one to settle down with, Headmaster,' Snape replied through gritted teeth. How dare the old fool take up that issue? He knew damn well that there had only been one woman in the life of Severus Snape. And that woman had been dead and buried for far too many years.

'Forgive a sentimental old man, Severus,' Dumbledore said, raising his hand in a defensive gesture. 'Sometimes, I just think that you are so committed to this school and its protection that you neglect your own needs.'

Snape's jaws tightened. What was the old man playing at?

'I am in perfect control of my needs, Headmaster.'

Dumbledore smiled. 'How about embracing them instead of locking them away?'

'I do not have the luxury to do that at the present time, Headmaster, as you should be very well aware of.' Had the old man not just given him yet another task, to protect the school, Harry Potter and Morgana Belakane? Did he really think this to be a nine-to-five-job that allowed plenty of leisure time?

Still, Dumbledore was smiling. 'We all need a little happiness in these troubled days.'

'Happiness is for fools,' Snape pointed out, scowling at the word happiness as if it were a foul word indeed. 'Next thing you will be telling me that you are organising a Spring Ball.'

'Funny you should mention that.'

Once more, Snape's eyebrows shot up. 'You cannot be serious, Dumbledore.'

'Why ever not?' One could almost hear the wheels in Dumbledore's mind turning. 'It gives people hope. And if I am to leave Hogwarts in a few weeks, I would very much like to have a last party.'

* * *

Snape groaned inwardly as he entered the library at Malfoy Manor. Meeting the Dark Lord shortly before dinner was bad enough, but having to be in the same room with He-Who-Should-Be-Committed, inbred egomaniac Lucius Malfoy and bat shit crazy Bellatrix Lestrange surely spoiled any appetite Snape might have had.

This had certainly been a day from hell. First Morgana had broken Draco's nose, then Dumbledore had called the Heads to discuss the Spring Ball, and just when Snape had hoped that he would finally get some well-deserved peace, the Mark on his left forearm had started to burn. And now it looked like the meeting was going to be all about the Malfoys.

Bellatrix was standing to the Dark Lord's right, much closer than any other Death Eater would ever dare. Lucius was standing beside her, chest puffed out and a complacent sneer on his face. And Snape couldn't shake off the feeling that the next hour of his life would be filled with the sort of bragging only Lucius Malfoy could pull off.

He fell to his knees and kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robe, keeping his eyes reverentially cast down. 'My Lord,' he breathed and then waited to be given permission to rise again.

'Severus, dear Severus,' the Dark Lord exclaimed theatrically and took a step backwards, which Snape took as a sign to get off his knees. 'I am pleased you could join us.'

Snape tried not to sneer. As if he had had a choice. Not following the Dark Lord's call meant excruciating pain at the least. Naturally, he had dropped everything the moment the foul mark on his left forearm had started to burn.

'Tell me, Severus, how are things in Slytherin House?'

Ah, the little episode at the breakfast table had already reached the Dark Lord's ears. Of course, Draco had tattled to daddy, and daddy had in his turn run to the Dark Lord. How pathetic! And for a moment, Snape wished that Morgana had actually knocked out a few of his teeth as well as broken his nose, so all this would be worth the trouble.

'My Lord,' he started. 'The incident is most regrettable, of course. The only thing that can be said in the girl's defence is that she is under a lot of stress. The NEWT year is a taxing time for even the most able students. And her pregnancy is not going as well as we had hoped.'

Snape saw the Dark Lord flash Lucius an incensed look. Obviously Lucius had not mentioned anything about the girl being unwell.

'Not going well? Explain, Severus.'

'My Lord, the girl is ill.'

'Nonsense,' Lucius butted in. 'The girl is in perfectly good health.'

'The mediwitch informs me that the girl has neither eaten properly nor had a full night's sleep for two weeks,' Snape explained, blatantly ignoring Lucius. 'I have prepared several potions, my Lord. But the girl is responding poorly.'

'Maybe that is the problem,' Lucius interrupted with a sugary tone. 'Who can blame the girl for being ill when she had to deal with your bitterness and look at your sour face every day?'

It would not take more than a flick of his wand to kill the man. A flick of his wand and a Killing Curse. Or he could strangle him with his bare hands. That would most probably be even more satisfying. But Snape resisted the impulse. He would not lose his temper and give Lucius the satisfaction.

Instead, he merely raised his eyebrow and enquired in a silky voice: 'Your alleged firstborn pestering her has, of course, nothing to do with the girl being upset, has it, Lucius?'

'My son, Severus, is loyal to the cause!' Lucius snapped, just a little louder than expected. And Snape smirked inwardly. He seemed to have struck a nerve.

Unfortunately, Lucius calmed down all too quickly. 'Draco, contrary to certain other Slytherins, is very concerned with the development at Hogwarts. With that ruddy old fool Dumbledore still being Headmaster, the Mudbloods are taking far too many liberties. For example, did you know, Severus, that a pair of Ravenclaws is digging up dirt on one of the most noble Wizarding families?'

Once more, Snape's eyebrow shot up, this time in surprise. Which Ravenclaws was Lucius talking about? And what did he mean with digging up dirt on one of the most noble Wizarding families? Surely, he could not be talking about Morrissey and Byrne's genealogy project. Or could he? And if he was, what the hell had the two found that was important enough for Lucius to care?

'What students of other Houses do in their spare time is none of my business, Lucius.'

'I suggest you make it your business, Severus,' Lucius hissed. 'If you let them carry on, people might just start questioning your loyalties.'

'My loyalties are not up for discussion, Lucius. I, unlike you, have not the luxury of having our Lord around for tea.'

'There is a possibility that I will soon be able to visit Hogwarts, dear Severus,' the Dark Lord announced with something that could have counted as a smile on a more human face. On his face, however, it came across like nothing else but a malevolent sneer.

'Dolores Umbridge has done remarkably well to position herself just where we need her,' the Dark Lord continued. 'She has suggested an inspection by the school governors, and Lucius here has made sure that she will get what she wished for.'

Once more, Lucius seemed to grow an inch or two. 'Anything for the cause, my Lord.'

The Dark Lord looked at the blond wizard benevolently before concentrating on Snape again. 'Once the governors have seen what we want them to see, Dumbledore will finally be removed from his office. Which will give you a chance to unearth some of his mysteries, Severus. His office, his instruments ... I want everything turned upside down. I want to know everything.'

Snape nodded in acceptance. As so often, Dumbledore was one step ahead of the Dark Lord, and they already had a plan. 'I can make Umbridge believe Dumbledore sealed his office upon his departure, my Lord,' he explained. 'In that way, I can work undisturbed.'

'Excellent, Severus. Excellent.'

The rest of the conversation consisted of the Dark Lord describing precisely what Snape was supposed to be looking for in Dumbledore's office, but Snape only listened with half an ear. He would show the Dark Lord only those things Dumbledore deemed necessary. And when one of Lucius' elves entered the room to inform her master that dinner was served, Snape excused himself.

'My Lord, the mediwitch will want me to brew another potion for Miss Belakane. We want her to be strong and healthy, so she can provide you with a strong and healthy heir, do we not?'

'Your potions haven't worked so far, have they?' came Lucius' low drawl. 'One wonders if you are deliberately sabotaging them. Or are you just losing your touch?'

Snape felt a muscle in his jaw twitch, but he would not give Lucius the satisfaction of dignifying his insult with an answer. Unfortunately, Lucius took his silence as a sign to go on.

'Do try not to poison the girl, Severus. Neither with your concoctions or your presence. I would very much like to have her around for lunch tomorrow.'

You would very much like to have her, indeed, Snape thought, oppressing a sneer. Take her, devour her.

'There is no need to worry, Lucius,' he said instead. 'Miss Belakane will be standing in front of you fresh as a rose by noon tomorrow.'

'Oh, she won't be standing for long.' Lucius smiled lasciviously. 'Women are terribly frisky during pregnancy, and I fully intend to offer my services. Their taste changes due to the hormones, you know. It's delicious, like an exquisite fruit, succulent and sweet ...'

Now Snape did sneer and silently wished that Lucius would develop an allergy against that exquisite fruit and die of an anaphylactic shock before he could touch the girl. He hated the thought of the blond philanderer once again sinking his teeth into Morgana. In her current condition, the girl would not stand a chance to resist him.

* * *

Morgana was already awake when Winky came to summon her to Snape's office at seven thirty on Sunday morning. Or was she still awake? It certainly felt as if she had not slept at all.

She had been awoken by Lucius' owl shortly before midnight, and since then she had been too anxious to sleep. He had invited her to lunch, and as sweet as his words had sounded, Morgana could not ignore the ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. And now Snape wanted to see her at this early hour, and what he had in store was anyone's guess.

She put on a plain, black robe and black leather boots. Make-up she did not bother with. Instead, she placed a simple Beautification Charm on her face. Neither Snape nor Lucius needed to see the dark shadows under her eyes.

She was told to enter at once when she knocked on the Potions master's door. And she slipped inside, closing the door firmly behind herself.

'Good morning, sir,' she mumbled, and Snape pointed towards the chair that was standing in front of his desk.

'Is the potion working?' Snape enquired, and Morgana nodded. She had had some bread and fruit for dinner last night, and it had stayed down. Then again, dinner most often did. Breakfast was a different matter.

Snape narrowed his eyes. He hated to be lied to, and even if the girl was lying to stroke his potioneer ego, it was still a lie. He conjured a bowl of porridge and pushed it towards Morgana, and the tightening of her jaw muscles was exactly the reaction he had expected to see. Without a word, he removed the porridge and replaced it with a phial that contained a bright yellow liquid.

'I have brewed another potion,' he announced. 'It appears that in very rare cases, some people are sensitive to Manga Weed, which is a staple ingredient in the previous potion. The reactions include headaches, nausea and nosebleed.'

And Lucius has been right, he added in his mind. I might indeed have been poisoning you.

That thought was, however, far from Morgana's mind. All she could think about was that Snape had been up all night, researching and brewing a new potion for her. And she felt a gratitude towards her Head of House which she had never experienced before.

'This potion,' Snape continued, pointing at the phial, 'is usually given to infants. It does not contain Manga Weed and has nearly no side effects. Drink.'

'Pineapple?' Morgana asked as she had emptied the phial, and Snape nodded.

'A curious flavour, which is naturally produced by the potion. It makes it palatable to infants. And by the looks of it, even to seventeen-year-old witches.'

He took the empty phial from Morgana and placed two more in front of her. 'I want you to drink those before lunchtime,' he instructed. 'You do not want to insult Lucius even further by throwing up on his Persian rug after lunch.'

Morgana bit her lip. 'You know then that I have been invited to lunch?'

Snape sneered. 'Yes, I have been informed. I fear you do not have the luxury of turning the invitation down, no matter how you are feeling.'

'There is no point in delaying the inevitable, is there?' The bitter tone in Morgana's voice could not be ignored. 'Lucius is going to tell me off for hitting Draco, and he might just as well do that when I am feeling low already. Telling him that I am sorry will be more effective when I am crying.'

Snape swiped around his desk and came to stand mere inches from the girl, glaring down his nose at her. 'I am telling you once again to use your Occlumency against the man. Do not let him know that he is getting to you. Do not let him know that you are weak. And most important, do not believe a word he is saying!'

Morgana nodded. Right there in Snape's office, promising to resist Lucius seemed so easy. And she prayed that she would have the strength to stand firm at the Manor as well. But when she left the dungeon, both she and Snape knew that she didn't stand a chance.

* * *

'Welcome to Malfoy Manor, Miss Morgana,' Silvy piped as she opened the floor and bowed so low that her nose touched the floor. 'Master Lucius is awaiting you.'

The door fell closed, and the elf led the way to the drawing room.

Morgana frowned. 'Silvy, why are you limping?' she enquired.

The elf froze. 'Silvy fell, Miss.'

Morgana reached for the elf and gingerly lifted the pillowcase the creature was wearing, revealing a heavily bruised leg. 'Fell, you say? Over what? Lucius' cane? About five times?'

Silvy looked terrified. 'No, Miss. Silvy is clumsy. Silvy fell.'

Of course, the poor thing was not allowed to tell the truth, but Morgana was certain that Lucius had caused the bruising during a sudden outburst of his temper. And she could not help but wonder what he planned to do with her.

She sighed and patted the elf awkwardly on the cheek. 'I will take you away from here one day, Silvy,' she promised. 'When all of this is over, I will take you to Hogwarts.'

The elf sniffled. 'Miss Morgana is a good witch. Kindest witch Silvy knows.'

Morgana smiled sadly, thinking about the task she was to carry out and about the child that was growing in her womb. She had agreed that this child would never be born. She was anything but good. And being kind to the elf would never be enough to redeem herself.

Lucius was sitting on the sofa, all dressed in grey, as usual looking refined and almost regal. He smiled kindly at Morgana as she entered and patted the empty seat beside him.

'Morgana, my love. Welcome, welcome. Come sit.'

He brushed her cheek with his fingers as she sat down and looked deep into her blue eyes. 'How have you been?'

'I have been better,' Morgana answered, concentrating hard not to shiver at Lucius' touch. She had to resist. She had to control her emotions. Snape had said that it was vital.

'My poor love,' Lucius whispered, his fingers now tracing her neck and collarbone. 'Are you suffering from morning sickness?'

'I'd call it twenty-four-seven sickness,' Morgana explained. 'But it is getting better. Professor Snape made a new potion.'

'Did he now?' Lucius' hand had wandered lower, and he was now touching the side of her breast ever so softly. 'Would you say that your illness has made you act out of character, my love? At all?'

Morgana bit her lip and nodded, and Lucius leant in, breathing softly onto the side of her neck while his hand slid down over her waist.

'Are you overly emotional?' he enquired. 'Do you find it hard to control your anger?'

A soft 'hm' was all Morgana was able to respond. Lucius' breath on the side of her neck made her whole body tingle, and she wanted him to kiss her, wanted to feel his hands on her naked skin. But instead, Lucius withdrew.

'I heard about the incident at breakfast yesterday, Morgana,' he started in a low voice, his steely eyes glinting. 'Draco was most upset, not to mention humiliated. Hit in front of the whole school, by one of his own House, by an older pupil, by a girl.' Once more, he extended his hand and brushed Morgana's cheek with his fingertips, while his thumb trailed lightly over her lips. 'When I found out that girl was you, my heart felt like it was in a vice. My only son, squabbling with the woman I love, the woman who is carrying his sibling ... Love, that cut me like a knife.'

Morgana felt her breath hitch in her throat, and when she opened her mouth to speak, the first thing that escaped her lips was a soft sob. 'I am sorry, Lucius,' she whispered. 'I snapped. I shouldn't have ...'

'No you should not have,' Lucius affirmed. 'It was a cruel act. My first born, humiliated by the woman I love.'

Morgana could not help herself. Suddenly, there were tears burning in her eyes, and as she blinked, they rolled down her cheek.

'My child is an extension of me, Morgana,' Lucius continued, wiping away the first tears with his fingertips. 'I love Draco so, so much. And I will love your little one, too. Our little one. When you are a mother, you will understand.'

'I am so sorry, Lucius.' By Merlin, she was. For everything.

'I know, my love,' he whispered. 'I know.'

He pulled her close and kissed away her tears. And Morgana gave in, pressing her body against his, her lips searching for his.

'I have missed you, my love,' Lucius breathed. 'I can't help but think if we had more time together, if I could be there for you, none of this would have happened.'

He wrapped his arm around Morgana's waist and pulled her onto his lap, grinding against her. The taste of her tears, her guilt and her shame had aroused him beyond reason. And he knew that she would not resist if he claimed her body now.

He Apparated them to the bedroom where Morgana had surprised him at New Year's and laid her carefully down onto the bed. Her black dress clashed violently with the virgin white sheets, and so did her reddened, tearstained cheeks.

'Let me make up for all the time we have been apart, Morgana,' he whispered between kisses. 'Let me touch you. Let me kiss you. Let me taste you.'

He pulled her towards the edge of the bed and knelt between her legs, slowly lifting the folds of her robe up her legs, over her knees and above her thighs until it was bunched up by her waist. He felt his cock twitch at the sight of her milky thighs and the black leather boots. Slowly, he pulled the left boot off, covering her calf with soft kisses as he did so, just to repeat the procedure with the right. When both boots were off, he kissed her right ankle and then let his tongue trail up all the way to her knee.

Morgana exhaled sharply and bit her lip. She knew that she was not supposed to enjoy Lucius' ministrations. Snape had told her not to. He had even given her a memory to concentrate on instead. But as much as she tried, she could not imagine that Snape would ever touch her in such an exquisite way. He had pushed her away once too often. But Lucius had embraced her, even after she had publicly humiliated his son. Lucius had forgiven her. Lucius loved her.

Lucius was now kissing the soft skin on the inside of her thighs, switching sides every so often. He hooked his fingers into her dark green knickers and pulled them slowly down Morgana's legs. Then he moved his face closer to her sex, inhaling her arousal like a fine wine. Sweet indeed, like a succulent, ripe fruit.

He heard her call out his name as he gently parted her lips and took a long, slow lap all the way from her entrance to her clit. He had been right, she tasted incredible. And he could not get enough of her. He suckled at her most sensitive spot as if it were the most exquisite sweet Galleons could buy.

As he heard Morgana call his name for a second time and felt her body shudder, he abandoned her clit and plunged his tongue deep inside her, darting in and out as she exploded.

Her muscles had not yet stopped contracting as he let his tongue trace up her lips again, lapping up every drop of her sweet nectar, and Morgana had to close her eyes. Her breathing was shallow and her whole body was trembling. If Lucius continued like this, she would surely faint.

Her second orgasm hit her the second his tongue touched her clit, and this time she did not even have the breath to gasp. And for a moment, the world around her went black.

When she opened her eyes again, Lucius had removed her robes and had positioned himself between her legs.

'Let me chase your nightmares away, my angel,' he whispered as he softly nibbled at her earlobe. 'Let me make love to you.'

He lifted his head, and steely silver eyes locked onto warm blue ones as he entered her slowly, inch by inch, never breaking eye contact.

Lucius was gentle, rocking slowly in and out of her, now and then grazing her lips with his. And Morgana wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him even closer. She wanted to feel his skin against hers, wanted to touch the magnificent wizard that was making sweet love to her.

She clung onto him as he increased his pace. He filled her up completely, and every movement of his hips sent new jolts of pleasure through her body. And as he moaned into her ear and sunk his teeth into her neck, he triggered her third orgasm. Her muscles were milking him, he thrust into her, fast and deep, shooting his seed inside her with a deep growl.

He stayed inside her until their breathing and heartbeats had normalised, covering her face with soft kisses. Her cheeks still tasted of the salt of her tears, and Lucius smiled. If that was Morgana's way of saying that she was sorry, he would not mind her making him angry over and over again.