Weft of Power, Warp of Blood: A Tapestry of Desire

Chapter Forty
Girl Talk

Jasmine stopped moping and slamming doors long enough to make early morning tea for Professors Flitwick and Sprout. The two arrived early to remove the Bell Jar Charm, and then escorted the stomping Jasmine and very sleepy Arielle to Miss Ann’s school, wands casually in hand. As soon as the charm was lifted, Florentine took off for Hogwarts on his first mission - his second mission, the Howler, lay on the table, smoldering. While Jasmine worked, Professor Flitwick trained a mirror to do… something and then removed the garden gate. Professor Sprout charmed, conjured and cajoled the Hecate’s Hawthorns to grow, cutting off her already small view of the street and added something to the fertilizer to make the thorns exude a noxious smelling poison. Once hawthorn cuttings were planted all around the property, they immediately began growing, using the fence for support. Professor Sprout said they would be full-grown in about a week though would begin catching small rodents once the roots took hold – in about an hour. Guarding Geraniums in window boxes were levitated and secured to each window. They did look quite charming, though Jasmine still didn’t want them there. Jasmine was given instructions on how to freeze individual plants or the hedge as a whole before both professors left and Jasmine went to her workroom to pout… though she called it contemplation.

Jasmine was pouting – after two hours of pretending, she gave in and wallowed in it. She knew and hated herself for it. Everyone else had so many more important things to think about – and many of them were risking their lives and protecting her that Jasmine felt petty and selfish pouting so much. She just couldn’t help it, but she was resolved to kick out of the mood. Part of the pouting, she knew, was to avoid thinking how she was going to teach a total stranger how to pleasure herself without… showing her. Every time she thought about it, Jasmine blushed; being a redhead, she knew her red face simply wasn’t attractive but saw absolutely no way to get through the day without turning a million shades of “blush”.

Jasmine was also having serious second and third thoughts about the howler. She admitted to herself that it was extreme punishment for the crime. Of all of the people in the world that she could have chosen to humiliate publicly; Severus was the absolute worst choice.

The new mirror hanging by the front door showed Severus standing on the street, a small blonde woman behind him, looking pensive. “Jasmine, open the gate,” snarled the image of Severus.

Jasmine walked out to the porch, waving her wand to create a pathway through the Hecate’s Hawthorns. On the road, Kiaya stood silently behind Snape, astounded at the shrubs that looked as though they would be happy to eat her. She wasn’t happy at being forced by Snape to talk to this woman, either.

The plants zipped up behind Kiaya as she followed Snape up the walk, toward an irritated looking redhead that Kiaya recognized but couldn’t place. He introduced them in short, sharp words with his jaw clenched tightly, giving a bare-bones outline of why Kiaya needed guidance from an older woman as they walked. By the time they stood on the porch, the blonde was blushing and Severus looked like he was going to explode. Kiaya just wished that she’d kept her damned mouth shut and that she was anywhere else but here.

Jasmine took a deep breath, trying to control her irritation at Snape. She ushered Kiaya into the house but as Snape passed, she stopped him with a hand on his sleeve and said formally, “Severus, I apologize for the Howler. I was punishing you for more than the tummy-ache. I would like to apologize, publicly, if you let me.”

In the same tone, he replied, “No, you have done quite enough,” then formality broke and he leaned in to growl in her ear, "However, if you ever pull something like that again, I'll make your life more miserable than the Dark Lord ever could - do not forget it." When Jasmine paled and nodded her understanding, Snape stood straight again and continued, “I am sorry that my actions caused Arielle pain and you inconvenience. I will apologize to her when I see her.” Of course, being Severus, he was able to ruin the moment by asking, “Can you manage to restrain your pique long enough to talk to this girl.”

Jasmine glared but was thankful that he hadn’t actually throttled her. With Severus, one actually never quite knew exactly what he’d do. All in all, she thought she’d gotten off fairly easily.

He continued, “I have no desire to ask Minerva anything about female masturbation.”

Letting his words go with only a slightly amused but certainly disconcerted glare and more than a twinge of guilt, Jasmine walked into the house and mustered a smile for the nervous young woman. She sounded almost gracious when she said, “Hello, Miss Roundtree. My great-grandfather and Severus tell me that you’re going to help me solve a rather disgusting problem. Thank you.”

Kiaya tittered nervously and corrected Jasmine. “Kiaya, please. It is sort of disgusting, isn’t it? Er.. your great-grandfather told you, you said? Who…?” The woman’s face was certainly familiar; Kiaya struggled to figure out how she knew the woman.

“Dumbledore - you didn’t know?” When Kiaya shook her head, Jasmine clarified, “Professor Dumbledore is my great-grandfather.” She was shocked that Kiaya didn’t know.

Kiaya was also shocked and felt rather stupid. She supposed it was common knowledge, and once again, she’d had her nose so far into a cauldron, she hadn’t heard. “I’ve never thought of Professor Dumbledore as having a family. He’s always been…” she gestured her loss of words with both hands.

Jasmine’s reluctantly knowing chuckle broke a bit of the tension in the room. “Sitting in his office, doing something official and really important to the exclusion of all else?”

“Er…” Since that’s what she had thought, Kiaya felt chastised and didn’t know what to say. Dumbledore… she was connected to both Dumbledore and Snape – the woman at the ball! The one who’d been attacked! Feeling triumphant that she knew how she knew the woman, Kiaya smiled, though still wondered what the connection to Snape really was.

Still displeased about the whole situation but beginning to see the amusingly bizarre side of the whole mess, Jasmine gestured Kiaya into the kitchen and offered a tight smile. She said, “That’s how most people see him, especially if they were students while he’s been headmaster. Would you like coffee, tea or something else? Have a seat.”

Kiaya trudged after, eyes wide, and requested, “Coffee, please.” She wondered if it would be possible to delay the discussion by drowning herself in her coffee. Settling at the huge table when Jasmine gestured to a chair, Kiaya dropped the small bag with her new supplies in it to the floor. Coins for her planned clothes shopping trip that afternoon clinked; Kiaya winced at the loud, crass noise. Amazed at his audacity, Kiaya watched Snape stalk to tall cabinets that lined one side of the room, opening and examining the contents of each.

With a wave of her wand, Jasmine made three coffee mugs float from a high shelf settle on the counter. She said, “The great Dumbledore does have a life outside of school and giving advice to the Ministry.” As hot coffee poured from her wand to fill the cups, Jasmine looked over her shoulder at the bemused younger woman. She noted that the woman had a wonderful figure and lovely coloring. Her inner merchant rubbed her hands together and contemplated using the other woman as a walking mannequin for Flowering Jasmine.

“I’ve never really thought about any of the teachers having any kind of personal life. What does he do when he’s not… being Professor Dumbledore?” asked Kiaya. Again, she wondered if perhaps she could delay the inevitable by babbling on about teacher’s personal lives.

“Well, he takes a few hours each week to visit the family, having dinner or whatnot.” She shook her wand and a small amount of cream poured from the tip into one of the cups as she spoke. She tried to move very slowly, in order to keep Severus here longer. She knew he’d never stay for the masturbation conversation so the longer the coffee took, the more she could put it off. “He listens to a lot of music and goes to concerts occasionally – sometimes with Professor McGonagall.” She grinned at the thought of a romance there – though since romance tended to lead toward sex and sex was not what she wanted to think about right now, she quickly changed topics. “And he writes beautiful poetry in French,” Jasmine added, just to see if Kiaya would blink again - she did. “Cream and sugar?” she asked.

With Kiaya’s murmured assent, Jasmine gently tapped on the lid of the sugar bowl. It slid across the counter, the lid flipped back, and small tongs raised themselves in readiness. Jasmine tapped twice on two of the cups and once on the third. While she poured cream into one of the cups that she had tapped twice, the tongs placed the sugar into each cup. A whirl of her wand over two of the cups stirred the cream and sugar in.

“Severus, your coffee,” Jasmine offered.

“You don’t have electric eel slime,” he announced, turning from the cupboards. He took a sip of the coffee and nodded his thanks. Kiaya noticed that Jasmine hadn’t asked him if he’d wanted coffee or how he wanted it prepared and thought it curious.

“I’ve got a very healthy aloe plant. It does just fine,” she replied.

“You should have…” began Snape, but Jasmine’s quirked eyebrow stopped him. He glowered.

Irritated because his critique of her cupboards was one of the things that had driven her insane during their marriage (and he well knew it), Jasmine sought to distract him. Not so subtly, she gestured to the coffee and said, “While you finish that off, Severus, tell me again about the plan and what part Kiaya here, plays in it, again. I do promise that I’ll listen this time.”

Aware of Jasmine’s obvious wish not to discuss female anatomy in front of him, Severus repeated his words from yesterday. The story of Voldemort’s desires and orders and the plan for the potions to thwart him was relayed in short, quick words between sips of coffee. He contemplated staying, just to make Jasmine uncomfortable. He didn’t really give a damn if Roundtree was comfortable or not.

When he was finished speaking, Jasmine gave voice to Kiaya’s thoughts, “But he will figure it out, sooner or later.”

“That’s why you’ll have the guards until we can figure out something to do, then it will be a matter of trying to convince the Dark Lord that he can’t have you and it somehow isn’t my fault.”

Utterly embarrassed and already blushing, Kiaya said quietly, “Professor Snape, I enjoy teaching for you but I really don’t think that I should get your job if you’re killed by… He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. What can we do to keep you from getting … hurt if he finds out?” Kiaya was surprised to see the subtle look of astonishment on Snape’s face, as though he was shocked that she had been concerned about his safety.

“We do not have a plan yet and there isn’t a way to formulate one until we get the rest of this sorted out.” Severus looked at Jasmine and said, “Everything will be in order, in any case.”

She said nothing, just stared into her coffee and nodded. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue with this. The embarrassment factor was a huge one, but the whole thing was really all about life and death. Kiaya was pretty sure that she’d never, ever wanted to do anything that important in her entire life.

He drained his own cup and stood, saying, “Have your discussion and send an owl when you’re ready to come back, Miss Roundtree. You shouldn’t walk by yourself.”

Life and death be damned, it seemed as though she was stuck. Instead of voicing her objections and concerns and conversely feeling like a coward for having them and not saying them, she murmured, “Yes, Sir.”

“Both topics. Otherwise, you will need to speak with Professor McGonagall about whichever you didn’t cover,” he said, it sounded like a threat. They both nodded up at him solemnly and he swooped out.

An uncomfortable silence filled the air as both women concentrated on not blushing but each knowing they both were. Neither said a word as thoughts of how they were to discuss sex with a perfect stranger.

Unable to bear the silence or her own red ears, Jasmine giggled. “Can you imagine Minerva McGonagall talking about all this?”

Kiaya blurted, “Sadly yes – well, the one thing… not the other. I can’t imagine her talking about… you know.” Kiaya blushed more, feeling heat radiate from her neckline and not wanting to even contemplate masturbation, much less discuss or do it. She prattled on, “I had to talk to her, when I was thirteen. I got my… period for the first time at Hogwarts. I didn’t know what to do so my roommates called her; they were pretty uncomfortable, too. She came into our room and took one look at my sheets and nightgown. She said ‘oh my,’ and whisked me away to the hospital wing so Madam Pomfrey could deal with it. She just gives the girls regular Muggle pads, a book, and a quick explanation and lets the parents give other options,” said Kiaya. “Since my mum only knew about the Muggle things because of her mum, I never used anything but sanitary napkins.”

“Oh you poor thing! My mum was living here, so they just called her up to the castle when I got mine.”

“Lucky you,” said Kiaya.

“Yes! So you were a Gryffindor?” asked Jasmine, determined to force a friendship with this woman, whether either of them wanted it or not. The situation simply demanded it.

Kiaya nodded.

Jasmine replied, “Me, too, but I don’t remember you. Sorry.”

“Oh, it’s okay. I was a few years behind. I doubt you would remember, not that I really do– I was a bit of a mouse.”

An uncomfortable silence took hold of the kitchen as both women studied their coffee intently.

Taking a deep breath and making the choice to just make the best of what her big mouth had gotten her into, Kiaya broke the silence and asked, “I don’t want to be rude, but why did Professor Snape bring me here, instead of having me go to Madam Pomfrey or someone else at school? Or, God forbid, just reading the instructions?”

Jasmine laughed uncomfortably and said, “Don’t know.” She debated giving her honest opinion about why he’d brought her down instead of just making Kiaya read the instructions then decided that the girl probably ought to know what – and who, she was getting into. “He probably wanted to make sure that someone taught you to use a cup so you wouldn’t mess it up. He doesn’t have much faith in people not screwing up royally when it’s important.”

Mournfully, Kiaya said, “He doesn’t have much faith in me at all, I’m afraid.”

Jasmine made a face and said, “I’ve heard.”

“You have?” Kiaya was mortified. Snape had… had…. Lord, she hated that man. She hated him more than anyone else in the world.

Nodding, Jasmine said, “Severus has told me his opinion a few times.” When Kiaya blushed, Jasmine rushed to reassure her. “I rather take things he complains about with a grain of salt. I’m used to it.”

Kiaya just nodded and tried to control her blush.

Jasmine took pity on her and explained. “I’m his ex-wife – he tells me just about everything – and he knows that I use a cup and that I... well, you know.”

Kiaya was speechless and did not want to finish Jasmine’s sentence for her. Unwinding her brain from the fact that he’d gossiped about her like an old woman, she was rather astounded that anyone would actually marry that man. A crush, perhaps, but, love? It wasn’t even possible. “Ex-… I never knew he was married, much less divorced.” She tried to think back and said the most innocuous thing that came to mind, “I never saw him with a ring when I was in his classes?”

“He didn’t wear one. Probably for the same reason you don’t, I imagine.”

“I don’t wear them so spilled potions don’t get under them. Oh… well, that was brilliant.” Kiaya shook her head, contemplating her own silliness though felt a little bit better. This woman was trying to make a horrid situation as comfortable as she could. Kiaya took a deep breath and made an effort to be friendly in spite of having been inadvertently insulted.

“He wore it around his neck, on a chain,” Jasmine said with a smile. She contemplated the other woman – she really would look lovely in Flowering Jasmine’s single Christmas advertisement in Witch Weekly. Wondering what it would take to get her to do it, Jasmine made a mental note to discuss it with Rose and Iris.

“That’s sweet.” Kiaya couldn’t fathom why she just called Snape sweet; it just seemed to be appropriate. Curious, she pried a bit more. “You’re still good friends, though?” asked Kiaya. She thought back to the days of her adolescent crush on Snape and wished she’d known that he was married then. Perhaps the crush wouldn’t have lasted for seven long years.

“We’ve got to be. We’ve got a daughter,” said Jasmine.

“Professor Snape has a child?” Picturing Snape instructing a miniature version of himself to slice rat livers or grind poppy pollen made her giggle.

“He had a life outside Hogwarts. He’s human, too!” exclaimed Jasmine.

Kiaya grinned, “No, he’s not! You’ve obviously never had classes with him! He’s beastly to me and to his students. I can’t even imagine him with a small child.”

“I can just imagine how he is in the classroom He’s such a sarcastic control freak.” Seeing Kiaya’s open mouth and laughing eyes, she added, “I love him dearly but he really is! He’d so much rather be in a little room doing research all day, trying to find new potions to kill the people that annoy him.” Jasmine said wryly, shaking her head.

Kiaya couldn’t help but laugh, knowing the description was completely accurate. “With his little side job, I think he probably knows quite a few already.”

“Oh, you’re right.” Jasmine took a deep breath and wondered exactly how much the other woman knew about his ‘little side job’ and the very real history of it. Determined not to discuss ancient history and figuring that it was Severus’s job to tell her if he wanted to, she just smiled, though she was sure it looked rather pained. All blushes aside, it was time to get started on the real reason they were here – and a friendly chat it wasn’t. “Alright, speaking of that side job, pull out that little bag and your wand. I’ll tell you how to use them.” Jasmine tugged out her own wand and conjured a flurry of shimmering sparks around the tip; the wand itself vibrated slightly. “You’re about to become very good friends with your wand,” she said.

Kiaya blushed and giggled. “I don’t know if I want to be that good of friends with my wand!” she protested.

“Trust me, you will.”

“If you say so.”

“You’re going to have to take my word for it. I’m not going to show you – you’ll have to experiment at home. There’s duty and then there’s…” Jasmine giggled, “there’s just above and beyond.”

Relieved and giggling, Kiaya twitched her wand in the direction of the bag; it immediately flew from the floor to the tabletop. She resolved that as long as everyone stayed fully clothed, she’d be just fine. She gave herself over to being embarrassed and asking silly questions and just let the rest of the morning happen without a fight.

The two women quietly talked and giggled for another hour. The words were sometimes graphic and they frequently drifted from the official topics but, by the time Kiaya had a clear understanding of what she needed to do for the potions, the women were friends – perhaps not best friends but certainly friends forged in fire. They had even planned a lunch date for the next week, after school started before Kiaya mentioned that she needed to go shopping for clothes that afternoon since she’d be living at the school instead of going home every night.

She was summarily hauled into the delighted Jasmine’s workroom and several outfits were selected from the stock that was packed in boxes, waiting to be shipped to Diagon Alley. Kiaya allowed herself to admit that she was impressed to meet the creator of Flowering Jasmine. She was delighted to look through the clothes, allowing Jasmine to dress her up in several things just to see how they looked. Once Jasmine said that she made the perfect walking advert, Kiaya gave up the thought of going anywhere else for clothing. Since they both agreed that Flowering Jasmine really did look nice on her, Kiaya announced that she’d purchase nothing else for her new work wardrobe. Several dresses and matching robes in rich greens and blues were selected as well as mix and match trouser, tunic and robe sets. Jasmine decreed that many of the clothes would be in soft pastels, so Kiaya would look like an angel. Eventually, embroidered slippers were brought out and fitted to Kiaya’s feet, as well. A spell for extra cushioning and warmth was added to the slippers once Jasmine remembered that the younger woman would be standing on the hard stone floors of Hogwarts all day, teaching or researching. She was also fitted with several black work robes that would resist stains from careless students and boiling cauldrons. Kiaya was only to wear the work robes over her pretty clothes, though, and remove them as soon as she was safe – after all, her new clothing wasn’t to be hidden under work robes all the time.

“Despite everything – including the blood and vibrating sparkles… and the blushing and stuttering… this has been fun. Thank you. I haven’t had a chat with an actual adult who didn’t want fertilizer or a headache tonic in ages!” said Kiaya, hugging the pretty redhead impulsively – it was returned with equal enthusiasm. For once, she was grateful that Mr. Basilton had left her a blooming fortune and said, “I’m going to take the lot, because it’s all so beautiful and I just haven’t the time to deal with shopping for bits and bobs before school starts.”

“I’m so glad that it all fits and looks good. You’re a testament to my genius,” said Jasmine, looking at Kiaya, who was still wearing the last outfit of royal blue trousers, aquamarine tunic and delicately embroidered robe secured at the throat. “You are going to brighten up those dungeons at school.” Jasmine rummaged through all of the clothing, removing the scent spell from her logo, knowing that the floral smell could be distracting while brewing a potion – it was a lesson she’d learned from Severus.

“Would you please tally this up before I do any more damage and you have nothing left to send to your shop?” begged Kiaya, wiggling her toes in her new shoes.

“No tally, it’s all done, take it away and it’s less I have to ship,” said Jasmine.

“What?”

“Take it away, it looks wonderful on you. If anyone asks – and they will – where you got your beautiful clothes, tell them that your wardrobe was designed by Flowering Jasmine. You can be a walking advert for me,” said Jasmine.

What she meant dawned on Kiaya, who quickly said, “No, no, no, no, no,” she shook her head, blonde hair flying. “You’ll tell me how much this all is or I’ll go down to Diagon Alley tonight and look for myself."

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re stubborn?” asked Jasmine.

“Absolutely. How much?”

Jasmine scowled then rattled off an impossibly low number but refused to rethink it or take a knut more. Because Kiaya had planned to spend twice that in the local shops that afternoon, she had brought a significant amount of money with her. She scowled herself and thanked Jasmine after arguing a bit more. Finally, each agreed on the low price, but Jasmine wrangled Kiaya’s promise that they’d discuss advertisement photographs later in the year. Counting out the coins, Kiaya muttered to herself about pictures of pasty, short wenches and stubborn women who were too damned generous and would lose their bloody business if they kept it up.

“Nice language,” Jasmine grinned. “Who are you kissing with that mouth?” She answered her rhetorical question. “No one, that’s the rub, isn’t it?” Jasmine said lightly, ignoring the image of Sirius’s ghost that slammed through her brain.

“I suppose not. Otherwise I’d not need to take my wand to bed for this potion to work.”

They dissolved into laughter.