“And you know these students personally?” he asked, becoming somewhat suspicious of her strange actions. “Is there something specific I should know about these students?” he continued to nuzzle against her neck as he waited for her to continue.

“Yes, I know them all personally, they’re my family. . And as for knowing about them? Well, most of them no. But there is this one you might want to know about.” Cat said nervously “She can be a bit of a handful, particularly around potions. . .seems she has this fascination with some of the colors.” She felt his muscles tighten as she continued “She’s really very sweet, and cute, as long as she doesn’t get too angry.”

“Ahh. So the temper is a family trait” Severus teased as he waited for Catri to continue, he had the distinct feeling he was not going to like this story.

“Very funny Professor” she smirked as she pressed herself into him even more, she became startled when she felt the heat radiating off of him. She could feel his flesh growing hard and rigid as it met her own, she pushed against desire, teasing his flesh with her softness and warmth “and you’ll like Sara, she‘s really very smart. She just has a bad habit of taste testing the bright potions, especially the blue and purple ones. . .she seems to be absolutely drawn to them.”

“Lovely” Sev replied as he nuzzled closer to Catri, he knew she was trying to tempt him, her pressing against him like that was certainly no accident “shall I keep her in the front, where I can keep a close eye on her?” he asked as he kissed her softly behind her ear, smiling happily as she giggled and squirmed in his arms.

“That may not be a bad idea” she laughed as she tried to pry herself out of his arms, he was a bit too willing to play along tonight, “just be careful, she didn’t exactly play nice with her last teacher. She transformed him into a cabbage, it took me hours to undo it, And don’t ever let that girl get near Sprite. . .I keep warning her about drinking anything named after a fairy, and I’m not even going to start on about those damn pixie stix.” Catri felt a delicious shiver as Sev pulled her tightly against him, kissing the base of her neck as he did so.

“Sprite and pixie. .“ Sev shook his head “this promises to be an interesting term” Sev sighed “and where do you think you are going Miss MacLeod?” he teased as he pressed his strong hands against her stomach, forcing her back into him “Please, please, do not tell me you intend to tease me like this *all* night long?” he asked , kissing the back of her neck as he pushed himself against her, thrilling as she gasped softly.

“What about the students Severus?” Cat asked she blushed, she really hadn’t expected him to call her bluff like that. It seemed he was full of surprises tonight, she wasn’t sure if she should press her luck or not, he seemed more than willing to forgo his normal straight laced demeanor to play with her tonight, perhaps a life with him would not be as cold or harsh as she had feared.. . .

Leumadair swam against the current, flexing his strong muscular tail as the choppy waves crashed above him. Something was very wrong; the channel was never stormy for this long. Someone was interfering with his father’s domain, and that someone would be stopped. He had a terrible suspicion that it was related to the travelers he had helped at his cousin’s request. He had kept a very close watch on them, they should have reached England’s Southern coast within two maybe three days at most, and it had already been closer to a week. Rising above the waves, Leumadair quickly scanned the shore and immediately saw the cause of the storm. A small tribe of gypsies, the Roma, gathered around a pitiful camp as an old woman hurled cursed out over the sea.

Gritting his teeth at the site of mortals daring to challenge his father’s realm, Leumadair quickly transformed into his human form. He rose completely out of the water, as the mist rising above the ocean closed in against him, turning to a fine chain mail the moment it contacted his skin. He walked over the waves as if he were walking through a field of grass, emerging dry as he stepped lightly onto the rocky shore. “Who dares to oppose Manannan Mac Lir, Ruler of the Waves, Elder of the Sidhe?” he roared as the ragged troupe of Roma cringed before him.

“I dare” croaked the old woman “I will not see all my work destroyed, my plans torn asunder, all for the sake of the Sidhe and their pathetic love of humans.”

Leumadair regarded the old woman carefully, he had seen her somewhere before. “Fallon” he whispered as his eyes narrowed in on the old woman. “I’ve seen you in Fallons’ mind. You are her mother, the Roma known as Magda.” he spoke clearly “You have tried to stop her from reaching my cousin, you have endangered her life and the lives of all who travel with her.” Leumadair held out his hand as his sword appeared, it seemed to fly into his hand, as if it were part of him. “Why have you done this? Why do you visit your own people with this evil?” he asked as he pointed the tip of his sword at her.

Magda cackled insanely “They are no longer my people, they have turned their backs on us”

“You mean they’ve turned their backs on you” Leumadair corrected her “and rightfully so. You have murdered your own children to prolong your miserable life, hag. I have seen the horror in your daughters mind, I know why she fears you, and once she has reached my cousin, she will be beyond your meager powers.”

“Meager are they? Well they’ve brought you haven’t they?” Magda mocked as she hurled a blast of energy at Leumadair, who stood unflinchingly before her. She watched as the blast hit him full force on his chest, only to evaporate into nothingness the moment it touched the silvery chain mail.

Leumadair smirked at her “Did you really think you could challenge the Sidhe, children of the De Dannan? We have existed for thousands of years, we are nature herself, we cannot be destroyed, only forgotten.” he told her calmly, only to turn his back on her and walk towards the sea “Your powers are almost gone now hag. You should never have tried to attack me. You have just sealed your peoples fate, the wizard Voldemort’s forces are hunting you, they will find you tomorrow. . .”

“NO” screamed a young woman “Please, no. . my children” she sobbed “please don’t let them kill my children. I’ve already lost my brother and sister, they joined Fallon. I staid behind for my husband and children, please. . .” she dropped to her knees and begged Leumadair to help them.

Leumadair paused for a moment, then walked towards the young woman, “I have seen your brother and sister, Erich and Elora” he watched as the sobbing woman nodded “I have heard them talking about you Leonora, they are worried for you and your children. It causes them much pain to be separated from their family.” He looked up and saw her husband approaching them, a foul tempered brute by the look of him “If you swear your intentions are honorable towards Fallon and my cousin, I will take you to them” seeing her hesitate he added “Yes Leonora, your children as well.” he smiled as she looked up at him gratefully.

“She won’t be going anywhere” her husband growled “she is my wife, and those are my children. They stay with me, we stay with Magda.” He added as he grabbed his wife by her hair and pulled her roughly across the stony beach, heedless of her pitiful cries.

“Would you sacrifice our children for her?” Leonora cried “You heard him, you know her children have always disappeared, most of them have never been found, not even their bones. Would you have our children join hers?” Leonora pulled away from her husband, who was left with a handful of her hair in his meaty fist. “Look at her, she’s dying, she cannot defend us, she is leading us to the slaughter. If she dies, she intends to take us with her.”

Leumadair calmly walked up behind Leonora, placing his hands on her arms he stated “She is right, Magda is dying, she is aging before your eyes. Her child Fallon has escaped her, and she must now pay for her crimes, the agreement she forged with Voldemort will be her undoing. Clan MacLeod does not look kindly on betrayers. Leonora, gather your children and come with me, I will return you to your true family.”

All Leumadair saw was a flash of metal,. . . before he could react, Leonora’s husband had struck. Leumadair wrapped his arms around the woman as her body was thrust into his by the force of the blade. Her husband had run her through on his sword, piercing her chest and Leumadair’s in one motion.

The sea itself reacted to the violence, the waves rose up and the wind and lightening swirled around Leumadair, causing his long, silvery-white hair to billow around him like a halo. Gently laying Leonora down, he pulled the blade out of her chest and threw it into the waves. He looked down at his own chest and noticed a small wound and a great deal of blood. He heard Magda laughing evilly, she thought he was going to die no doubt. Wiping the blood with his fingers, he brought them to his mouth and tasted the blood “Roma” he said softly “it is her blood, not mine.” He knelt beside the dying woman who was still begging him to save her children’s lives. “Hush woman, you are dying. I have promised you I would take you and your children to your family. I keep my word, but your clan’s days have been counted and numbered.” He looked into her fawn brown eyes and saw only the love she bore for her children.

The thought of anyone willfully killing so loving a creature was driving him wild with anger. Standing up, he raised his arms and sung out for La Llorona, the vengeful ghost of the water, the avenging spirit of a woman who had been scorned by her husband, she had lost her children and her life. Her sole purpose was to exact revenge upon all men who harmed their families, she killed them with her kiss. The sea behind Leumadair boiled as the slender figure of a woman was seen. She was draped in gauzy black, her face hidden by a veil, she looked for all the world like a bride in mourning, a bride in black.

She immediately bowed before Leumadair, weeping and moaning as she did so. He pointed toward Leonora’s husband and spoke clearly “He has murdered his wife, he will destroy his children. La Llorona, I charge you to take your vengeance against him, for this, her blood” so saying he raised his hand to her, showing the stains of the woman’s blood upon his fingers. “Take him, and bring her children to me.” He turned to gaze down upon Leonora as the poor woman moaned and chocked, she was drowning in her own blood.

“I cannot save your life Leonora, I am not a healer. But I promised to save you and your children, I keep my word.” So saying Leumadair gathered Leonora in his arms and kissed her, filling her with a small taste of his power. Her pain stopped almost the moment he touched his lips to hers. Picking her up off the rough stones, Leumadair carried her to the now calm sea, and once again kissed her, only this time it was more than a taste of his power. His kiss went deeply into her, flooding her body with his energy as he pulled her under the waves with him. He felt her body tense as she panicked, her eyes were now open and wide with fear. He held her tightly, keeping her under water as she felt a sharp pain begin behind each of her ears. Just as Leonora thought she couldn’t bear the pain any longer, it disappeared.

She looked to see Leumadair smiling at her, it took her a few moments to realize she wasn’t drowning. Leonora reached out to touch him, to make sure he was real, the moments she touched his warm cheek she knew what he had done. Leumadair moved away from her touch and motioned for her to look at him fully. She smiled shyly as she saw his muscular chest and abs, but gasped when she saw his equally muscular tail. Steeling herself, Leonora looked down at her own body, only to see her long skirts billowing around her own tail. She felt numb as she realized she was alive, but no longer human. She felt Leumadair wrapped his arms around her as she shook with awe and fear. Reaching up to were she had felt the sharp pain behind her ears, her fingers now found several slits, gills, she had gills. She looked up into Leumadair’s kind eyes as she trembled violently with fear and confusion.

“Hush child” he said soothingly “there is nothing to fear, I have kept my word. You are safe, and soon your children will be too.”. .

La Llorona’s eyes gleamed unnaturally beneath her veil, she had immediately honed in on the murderous husband. She glided across the uneven, stony shore as the man’s eyes grew wide with horror. Her movements were silent, in fact the only sounds that could be heard were the weeping of La Llorona, the crashing of the waves, and the terrified screams of her prey as he scrambled awkwardly over the loose stones and pebbles. Within moments, La Llorona’s blue-grey hand was upon his shoulder, easily pulling him towards her as his screams grew louder. She turned him roughly, making him face her as she trailed a bony finger over his lips. The man’s screams had turned into whimpers of fear as La Llorona lifted her black veil, revealing a drawn and mottled face. Her sunken eyes showed no emotion as she pressed her cold lips against his, forcing a deluge of sea water into his lungs as he struggled vainly against her.

The Roma looked on in horror as they watched the man twitch and gag as La Llorona pushed her kiss deeper into him. His eyes rolled up into his head as his face took on a bluish tinge, soon the only sign of life was the twitching of his fingers and the salty froth spilling from his mouth. La Llorona dropped the man with a heavy thud as she lowered her veil once more. Turning to survey the Roma, she quickly focused on Leonora’s young children. Weeping and moaning, she glided towards them, beckoning them with her skeletal hands. The children seemed mesmerized as they walked willingly towards La Llorona, placing their tiny, trusting hands in hers. Not one of the Roma moved to stop her as she walked with them towards the sea.

Leumadair gently pulled Leonora to the surface, allowing her to rest against him until she grew accustom to using her tail. He pointed out her children as they waited with La Llorona, the waves crashing around their small bodies as the spirit held their hands tightly. “I have given you a taste of my essence, my soul. Now it is your turn to share my gift with your children.” . . .

“And your point would be” Severus asked completely confused by what Catri was trying to tell him.

“Well you’re not exactly the ‘I like a dirty joke as much as the next guy sort of fellow’ That really cuts down on my material, you would be the sort to tell me how unlady like it is” Catri replied, doing her best to keep a straight face as Severus’s eyes grew large. She could tell he was trying not to laugh at what she had said.

Shaking his finger at her, Severus responded “It *is* very unlady like, and you know it” he said as sternly as he could, although he had a feeling it was less than convincing.

Catri brought her hand to her brow and pretended to grow faint “You’re right I do, but I can’t help it... Its my brothers’ influence I’m afraid, they’ve positively warped me” Cat sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically as she leaned against Sev. “Besides. You’re the one who’ll be teaching Sara at the start of next term... just thought I should warn you now... she really does like the bright colors.” Cat said as she kissed him quickly, smiling brightly at him, and becoming quite amused by the look of shock on his face.

Severus never wanted to leave this spot, this moment, he had never felt so at peace with the world, or so at ease with anyone in his life. He adored Catri’s gentle teasing and playful kisses, he was tempted to ask her to marry him on the very spot. But he wanted to do things properly, her room was already prepared at his home, he had given the house elves very detailed instructions, even down to the type flowers and where to place them, he refused to leave anything to chance. Not tonight, not for something this important.

Noticing her shivering again, Severus wrapped his arms around her once more as he pulled her against his chest. He thrilled as his roving hands found the bare flesh of her back and shoulders under her shawl, he could never seem to get over how very soft she was. “Perhaps we should go back in Catri” he suggested “you really are not dressed for this weather. I do not want you to become ill over the holidays.” He whispered into her ear as he gently nibbled on the lobe, causing Catri to inhale sharply.

“Severus, if you keep this up, you won’t have to worry about rumors, they will have proof” Catri sighed as she rested her head on his chest “then what will you do? Your reputation will be ruined.”

“Which reputation would that be?” Sev asked playfully “My reputation as a heartless beast, or the confirmed bachelor one?”

Cat pulled her head back and narrowed her eyes as she stared at him “Confirmed bachelor ehh? You *do* know what that’s code for, don’t you?” she teased as Sev glared at her, realizing too late he had been set up for just such a comment.

“I think not, Miss MacLeod” he groused “You of all people should know better than that by now.” he added as he saw the twinkle in her eyes. She was simply going to tease him all night long, he could just see it. Not that it upset him, he adored it when she giggled and snuggled against him.

“Should I?” she teased “Did I miss something?” she asked, blinking her eye innocently, trying to bait him into something.

“Shall I prove it to you?” he purred as he pulled her closer “or is a reminder all that is required?” he asked as he pushed his hips against hers, allowing his manhood to press against the delicate flesh of her hidden charms. He delighted in her gasp and the press of her bosom against his chest as she flushed pink and averted her eyes from his.

Cat gasped and giggled as he smiled slyly at her. Realizing things were only going to progress from here, she decided a retreat may be the best thing, for the moment. “Alright Sev, you win. . . I believe you” she insisted as he relaxed his grip on her, smiling even wider as he bent to kiss her once more. . .

“But Raul, she nearly killed him” Olia reminded the Primogen “Please, let me embraced him.”