Lendoren

The fic belongs to kelokelo, the translation to Septentrion, everything else to Jo

Chapter beta’ed by Emma and Angie

Ch.2 Revelations

“You have hardly changed,” Gryffin said while he took a seat in front of Dumbledore without being invited.

“The same for you,” Dumbledore answered with a serious voice: the man in front of him was exactly the same than he was sixteen years before, he didn’t even have an additional wrinkle on his face. “To what do I owe to be honoured by your visit? Do I have to look for another potions master next year?”

“No, I fear your students will still have to bear Severus one more year,” Gryffin answered, smiling. “While we’re on it, could you send someone to fetch him? The three of us need to discuss something.”

When Severus Snape arrived, Gryffin couldn’t help to pull a disgusted face:

“Severus, please, take your normal appearance. I’m not a student whom you have to teach potions.”

In front of a dumbfound Dumbledore, Severus Snape’s face changed to become the face of a thirty-five years old man who could have make the witches reading Witch Weekly swoon. His eyes remained hard and cold but such a body could have caught as many tender hearts as that idiot Lockhart, or even more for his expression was much more manly.

“This is a Lendoren particularity. When we are revealed we belong to the Community, we take our real appearance. We can then easily choose between our Lendoren appearance and our, let’s say, previous appearance which we got from our family. Very often we prefer our Lendoren appearance,” he said, amused by Dumbledore flabbergasted look. And in front of Dumbledore’s petrified eyes, he changed his own appearance and now had the face of an old man, with a receding chin and small eyes ensconced in their sockets. Gryffin quickly took back his previous appearance, and Dumbledore found back his voice and commented:

“I must admit I understand why.”

“Severus never showed you?” Gryffin sounded surprised.

“I preferred not to,” Severus said calmly. “Everyone here knew me with that appearance, I didn’t want to make a mistake and appear in front of one of my classes like that and so I’ve always kept that appearance in this castle as well as with the Order of the Phoenix.”

“Then I guess you’ve hidden you marital status as well?” There was irony in Gryffin’s tone.

“I wouldn’t call it marital status, Arlin, I call it a source of enormous problems to come,” Severus retorted.

“Severus, how many times will we have to tell you you’ll finally be very happy?” Gryffin sighed.

“If she lets me live, then perhaps I’ll be happy with her!” Severus grimaced.

Dumbledore watched them sparing without breathing a word. Even if he had wanted to, he wouldn’t have been able to. All right, they were speaking about a woman. But how did Severus meet a woman here in Hogwarts? And who could that be?

Gryffin at last turned to Dumbledore and told him apologetically:

“I can fathom how all of this may seem obscure to you Dumbledore, but we’re going to explain some of the –particularities of our community. The Lendoren don’t choose their life companion like the majority of people do. Our companion is imposed by our magic and some as obstinate as a mule like Severus, have a hard time to accept their private life to be controlled. I admit I myself doubted of the validity of our magic’s choice but I don’t regret it.”

When this explanation was finished, Dumbledore had to bite his cheeks to prevent himself to laugh openly at his potions master’s face. The year to come would probably be one of the funniest of his Headmaster carrier. In ordinary times the potions master had a hard time to accept orders but to be controlled on the most private part of one’s life? However he was waiting for what was to come for he guessed Gryffin hadn’t come only to discuss Severus Snape’s sentimental life.

“All of this lead us to the coming year, Dumbledore. First thing first, Severus will take back his lendoren appearance. Yes, Severus, you will,” Gryffin insisted though Severus was on the verge of protesting aloud. “She’s seen you with your other appearance enough. It’ll be an agreeable change for her. And I’m sure you’ll maintain the discipline in your classroom perfectly, even with an appearance I’d call ‘normal’.”

The idea that mayhem could happen in the potions master’s classroom was so improbable that Dumbledore had to check himself again. His reputation and his character made sure one would be able to hear a pin drop in his classroom whatsoever. As long as Severus didn’t voice his anger towards one of his pupils.

“Then,” Gryffin spoke again, “I wish you’d give me the position of professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, Dumbledore. It seems it’s vacant again, isn’t it?”

Dumbledore’s eyes widened when he heard this.

“Well, yes, the position is vacant again but…

“So I’d really like you to give it to me for one year Dumbledore. Do you doubt my capacities?” Gryffin was ironic while Dumbledore didn’t answer.

“Not at all,” Dumbledore protested. “It’s just that… I didn’t think that …”

“I must be here to reinforce Severus’s power as long as his companion isn’t able to, Dumbledore.”

Dumbledore was still under the disagreeable impression that he was only a pawn that Gryffin manipulated to his will. He was however decided to ask more questions than when they first met.

“Before I answer you, Gryffin, may I ask you some questions?”

“Everything you want, Dumbledore.”

“Why, besides Severus’s future companion’s… pleasure, must he take back his lendoren appearance? Doesn’t this put us in danger with Voldemort?”

“Voldemort had just found out about Severus’s lendoren status, that’s why he must give up his spying.”

Dumbledore’s face darkened when he heard this news. The potions master had been a most valuable trump card since Voldemort had become human again two years ago.

“So he’ll have all the time in the world for his teaching and his companion.”

Gryffin smiled and then it was Severus’s face that darkened.

“Who is she,” Dumbledore asked abruptly.

“We’ll tell you when the time comes Dumbledore. The maturation of the young Lendoren women is a bit slower than the maturation of the young men. It is so that we know as soon as they’re seventeen that they’re Lendoren but it takes nine months, which probably has some significance, to come into their inheritance. Which leads us, Severus, to which date?”

“The spring equinox,” Severus sighed.

Dumbledore watched them without understanding.

“Severus is very conscious of what’s happening in her and can somehow communicate with her. Yet…”

“To communicate?’ Dumbledore cut him, he was much resolved to know what it was about.

“He uses telepathy amongst other means, they’ll be able to speak to each other without speaking and above all without having to take into account what their location is. That’s most practical but a bit disconcerting and even embarrassing as long as the two companions are not … let’s say intimate, but I hope you won’t oblige me to draw a picture for you, Dumbledore.”

Dumbledore didn’t see anything reprehensible in the fact that his potions master had an private life, but at Hogwarts and … with a young woman who has just reached her seventeenth birthday? But then …

“She’s still a student?” he whispered.

“Exactly Dumbledore, and she has but one year to complete here.”

“ I can’t tolerate some kind of relationship between a teacher and a student,” Dumbledore boomed.

“You’ll have to.” Gryffin’s answer was dry.” Every rules has exceptions, you’ll make one for Severus and the student whose name we’ll reveal to you at the beginning of term. Yet I concede that every precaution must be taken for this relationship not to be discovered. I’ve got the idea that this secret will help to cut the ground under Voldemort's feet.”

“And that…private life,” Dumbledore spoke again and sounded icy, “do your … customs state when it is to begin?”

“If you’re asking if they’ll become companions in the Lendoren meaning of the word, that is to say lovers, before the spring equinox when the girl will be in possession of her inheritance, then I’d say that yes, the odds are very high. When exactly, that’s for Severus and his companion to decide.” Gryffin smirked.

Then he said in a serious tone:

“But you must know, Dumbledore, that the forces who push them together are far more than just sexual desire. Though the latter is very strong, we know that that intensity is due to the deep love they will share for the rest of their life.”

“That’s what I said,” Severus mumbled, “I would need for her let me live long enough to benefit of it…”

“Severus, enough,” Gryffin told him rather brutally, “you’re not twenty anymore, you should be able to manage it. In short, you have nine months to convince her to accept you and you’ve got weapons she doesn’t even imagine, sort it out as you wish but beware if she’s not happy!”

Dumbledore remembered something else that has just been said:

“You told ‘reinforce Severus’s power" he went on asking to Gryffin

“Exact, when Voldemort found out that Severus was a Lendoren, he also found out how to sap Hogwarts magical wards. From now on, Severus will maintain them but as long as his companion hadn’t come in her whole inheritance, they won’t be really efficient, that’s why I must be here too.”

Dumbledore was once more torn between anger, knowing what was to happen inside the school, and laugh seeing Severus’s face.