I don't own any characters except for Geillis and Codanna. Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest aren't mine, either. The situation, while fairly unoriginal, is mine in regards to what I've done with it.

Chapter 14: Lacrimosa, Dies Illa

"Whatever possessed you to do that, child?" Albus Dumbledore asked her in his office, later that day.

"I couldn't stand it anymore, Headmaster," she said. "Somehow that despicable cad got hold of my favourite handkerchief. He spread rumours that I was another of his worshippers and then, as if that wasn't bad enough, he wrote a note pretending to be Severus and had me meet him in the gardens. He arranged for Severus to arrive just as he forced a kiss on me. If that isn't reason enough to wallop him, then I don't know what is. He's lucky that I didn't shout 'castrato' instead, if you ask me--or better yet, 'hermaphrodito'--"

"That's enough, Geillis," said Dumbledore. "I think I understand. However, I cannot allow this to go unpunished--for either of you. Geillis, I must ask you to do some work for me. As you know, Severus has been asking for an assistant this summer, for research. You will join him, or I will snap your wand."

"But what about Lockhart?" asked Geillis angrily. "He forced me to kiss him--Headmaster, that's practically harassment, if not assault!"

"He will get what is coming to him, I assure you," said Dumbledore. Your choice, Geillis?"

She bowed her head. Her voice sounded tired, defeated. "I suppose that I will have to work with Severus--if he will have me."

Dumbledore smiled. "He'll agree before he knows it," he said.

***

"Never!" Snape thundered when Dumbledore brought the subject up. "She's a cold, heartless, cruel, sly, scheming minx and I will not have anything to do with her again!"

"Not even when she broke Lockhart's nose on your account, Severus?" asked Dumbledore, quietly.

"She did what?"

"I would not have believed it myself, had I not seen it with my own eyes--you know that she is not a violent person. She was looking for you, Severus, and when she found him, she was very angry. He mistook her flush of anger for one of love, and forced a kiss on her. After you left, she slapped him so hard that he landed on his back. They argued a bit--she said that a single cell in your little finger is worth a million of him, by the way--and then, when he tried to calm her down, she immobilized him and broke his nose with her fist, saying 'this is for Severus'. I had all of the mirrors taken out of his chambers as a punishment for him and on my orders, one of the house elves dropped one, causing it to shatter into tiny pieces which will cause him hours of discomfort--and I told her that either she worked for you or I would break her wand."

Snape sighed. "I must ask that you release her from this, Headmaster," he said. "It does not warrant the breaking of her wand. Lockhart will doubtless be back to normal by tomorrow, but if you snap her wand, she will be ruined for life."

Dumbledore peered at him. "You care enough for her still that you would not see her ruined?"

"Headmaster, there is no doubt that I loved her once, though I believe that I have since dismissed all such notions from my head. However, I would still not have her ruined while that fop gets away with that trick that he played on us."

"But you will not have her to work with you?"

Merlin, no! That would be too much for Snape to bear. Pride would not allow him to ask for her forgiveness.

Wait a minute--forgiveness?! What would I need it for? If anything, she should be apologizing to me!

Still...

Finally, he spoke when he was certain that his voice wouldn't shake. "No. Leave her be. Her potions skills resemble those of Neville Longbottom, and I refuse to have any more melted cauldrons before he returns to class."

"As you wish, Severus."

"Thank you, Headmaster."

***

The next month crawled by, slower than molasses in a frozen January night in Northern Ontario. Geillis had simply been told that her services would not be required, and that she would be free to conduct her business as usual.

Ha! What a joke. I have no "business as usual! There's only so much you can do with Songspells in the summer, after all.

In the end, she had little more to do than mope. Reading held little pleasure to her; walking by the lake was a danger as Snape often went there to gather gillyweed and other potion ingredients. She had few other friends at Hogwarts; those she had were gone on holiday for the summer. Life was empty and with the threat of Codanna, she had no choice but to stay on the Hogwarts grounds.

Maybe I should just let her get me. Songspell teachers are easily found, right? Even a Muggle conductor would do in a pinch.

Though she refused to admit it to herself, she missed Severus terribly. They still ate in their accustomed places, but never acknowledged each other--never even looked at each other. Geillis grew to dread mealtimes, and often skipped them if she could. Her already small form became alarmingly frail as the weeks slid by, and Madam Pomfrey began to worry. Professor Sinistra had spared no time in pursuing Snape once Geillis' friendship with him had been destroyed, and this served to further depress the witch.

How long? she thought despondently, watching the two walking through the garden one day. How long until I hear that they are seeing each other?

Her life had once again descended into hell.

There was only one consolation. Gilderoy Lockhart, in the three days before he left for his next publicity tour, gave her a wide berth and did not speak to her unless he absolutely could not avoid it.

***

Snape fared little better those weeks. His pale skin gained colour, but only because he had been spending much time out of the dungeons, taking long walks and trying not to think of Geillis. Control yourself, man! he thought. Are you not an occlumens? Surely you can steer your thoughts away from an ugly witch who isn't what you thought she was!

Loneliness was nothing new to the Potions Master, but the fact was, it was beginning to grate on his nerves.

***

Sashara,

Or perhaps I should have called you "Geillis", for that is what I hear that you prefer to be called these days. Forgive me if I have given any offence on this point.

I am deeply sorry for all that I have done to you over the past few years. I have no words to say but that I am most full of regret for all that has happened. I cannot hope for your forgiveness, but I wish that you would at least consent to hear me out. It is my fondest wish to speak with you about everything. I need some form of absolution, and you are the only one who can provide it. Therefore, I ask that you meet me in the forest near Hogwarts, where we may discuss our past and perhaps come to terms with the tragic loss of your much-beloved husband.

I know that we can never again be the friends that we once were, and I realize that after all that I have done you may be most reluctant to trust me. However, I must ask that should you come to see me that you come alone. Secrecy is vital, for my own life has taken a rather dangerous turn, and I am now in constant peril. It is this which has convinced me that I must at least have the chance to beg your forgiveness.

I pray that you might hear my plea and look upon my petition with favour, dearest Sashara. It means more to me than you can ever know.

Most sincerely,

Codanna Tangol

Geillis stared at the letter in her hand. Perhaps it was time to face her enemy...

***

A/N: The chapter title is the first line of another movement from the Requiem mass. The title, "Lacrimosa", roughly translates to "weeping", and this seems to be the theme of much of this chapter—sadness, for whatever reasons sadness occurs.

I think that you can probably guess what "castrato" and "hermaphrodito" mean. However, the latter is a spell used in the only mpreg fanfic that I've ever actually liked—"In A Delicate Way" by JayKay. It can be found at http://www26.brinkster.com/laulja/sn/fic/delicateway.html.

Dumbledore's being so unreasonable because he got the urge to meddle in other people's lives, as I've noticed he tends to do.

I know that Lockhart seems to have gotten off lightly, only having his mirrors removed. What he did was reprehensible at best, but consider: Lockhart is completely consumed by his obsession with his own image. To not be able to look at him while he's primping and preening in the morning would be not just an inconvenience—it would take away his best chance to gloat over his looks. Besides, remember that mirror that the house elf dropped? The pieces aren't big enough to see with the naked eye, but they're definitely big enough to worm their way through slippers and shoes, causing horrible degrees of discomfort once they reach the feet. =) And if you've ever had to pick glass out of your feet, I'm sure you'll know what I mean.