Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery

Chapter 10 ~ Marcus Makes His Move

Severus told Marcus all he knew about Hermione’s likes and dislikes which he was surprised to discover he knew quite a lot about. He even knew her favorite scent and sandwich. She was very into politics, and had a preference for those who were socially conscious and had strong opinions about Voldemort. Marcus didn’t give a damn about Voldemort. If things got bad, he’d just leave the country again putting distance between him and the Dark Lord’s influence. As far as he was concerned he did his duty when he served the Ministry all those years. But, in order to woo Hermione, he’d put up a good front.

Hermione was also an easy touch for a sob story. A rough upbringing was sure to move her heart. Well, Marcus had no problem there. He had been orphaned at a young age, shuffled about from foster home to foster home until he escaped to live on the street, and was on his way to juvenile prison for hexing some young wizards who were tormenting him, when he was given the option to join the Eradicators. He wouldn’t tell the witch that part however, unless necessary, then he would water it down significantly.

Of course, the witch appreciated intelligence. Marcus in his normal state was rather rough around the edges, but he was no slouch in the brains department. His role as an assassin required him to be well read about a variety of subjects because he was often required to infiltrate the circle of friends of a target, and then kill him or her when in a position of trust. So he was quite adaptable in every situation and could act cultured when required to. The wizard knew how to play a role convincingly. Hermione would never divine his true intentions toward her until after he had succeeded and left her alone.

The Professor insisted on weekly updates of the wizard’s progress with the witch, including details. He was paying good money after all, and told himself he wanted simply to know how well his investment was going. Marcus balked at this at first, then decided the Potions Master was entitled to know how the seduction was going.

Marcus’ first act was to make an appointment to talk to the Headmaster about Hermione spending some time in the Dark Arts class as his assistant. Actually he didn’t know why the witch wasn’t helping him as she did Flitwick, McGonagall and Snape. Didn’t he count as a staff member too? True he wasn’t a professor, but he did all right. He felt a bit snubbed to be honest. And that only added fuel to his fire concerning the witch. So, she thought he wasn’t good enough to help eh? He was good enough in other areas, she could be sure of that.

Actually, Hermione chose to work with Professors she knew. Marcus had been hired after she left Hogwarts, so she didn’t know the wizard. She liked dabbling in the Dark Arts theoretically, and wouldn’t have minded assisting if she had been more familiar with the teacher. As it was, she had her three classes, so didn’t think any more about it.

Albus explained to Marcus that Hermione was only required to assist three staff members, though if he asked her, she might be willing to assist him as well. It would be more experience after all. This suited Marcus just fine. It gave him the opportunity to talk to the witch one on one with an actual purpose. He could feel her out then, and decide how to make his move.

In the meantime, Hermione and Severus continued their private war, the Potions Master sniping at her every chance he got, and Hermione telling him off on every single occasion, except in the classroom. In those cases she found other ways to get him back, such as hexing the drawers on his desk so the fronts came off when he tried to open them, weakening his chair so it collapsed when he sat down, clogging up all his quills so he had nothing to write with in class…small things like that. She was the epitome of innocence when these annoyances occurred.

Raucous wasn’t spared either. Hermione got him really good when she conjured an excellent illusion of an open window in the dungeon corridor, including the scent of fresh air and a slight breeze. Severus tried to stop the bird from soaring out of it, knowing there was no way a window could be in the dungeons, but Raucous tried anyway and was knocked out cold.

Raucous, on the other hand, shit on Hermione every chance he got, lying in wait in the dungeon hall shadows, then swooping down on her, dropping his load and winging away in a zigzag pattern so she couldn’t hex him.

Severus had a small floo placed in the owlery and charmed his study fireplace to grant the bird access in and out anytime he wanted to leave the dungeons. Raucous also delivered messages and packages for the Potions Master as well. The bird really was quite a help to him as well as an entertaining companion. The bird hated Hermione and kept the Professor chortling as he sent image after image of Hermione in horrible situations, one of the worst being the witch engaged in sex with a very randy hippogriff.

This was after the witch had placed the illusion of a thick ham sandwich over a huge mud hole right outside the main doors when she saw the bird exit the owlery for an afternoon flight. Naturally, when Raucous saw the sandwich, he dove for it and landed right in the puddle. He was covered with so much mud he couldn’t fly, and had to caw at the main doors until someone heard him and let him in, then hop down the long corridor to the Professor’s rooms and raise hell until the Potions Master heard him and let him in. He took one look at the mud-covered raven and knew what happened. Still, he had to ask.

“Hermione?” the Professor asked the raven.

Raucous looked up at him and clipped his beak angrily.

YES. BITCH.

The bedraggled bird sent these bitter words to Severus as he hopped past, leaving little drops of dried mud behind. The Professor couldn’t help smirking. Hermione was proving more and more that she would have done well in Slytherin house. Who would have thought the witch was so vindictive?

A week had passed before Marcus made his first move. It was a Saturday morning, right after breakfast. Hermione was leaving the Great Hall and had just exited through the staff doors, when Marcus followed her. Severus watched him surreptiously. So he was finally going for the witch. It was about time.

“Ah, Miss Granger,” Marcus called.

Hermione stopped and turned around. Her amber eyes washed over the wizard.

“Yes Mr. Delaluci?” she answered. The wizard walked up to her.

“I was hoping to steal a moment of your time,” he said, smiling at the witch.

Hermione looked at the wizard. They had never spoke until this very moment. It wasn’t that they ignored each other purposely. Marcus would often nod a greeting at her when their paths crossed. There was just no reason for a conversation. Hermione looked up at him. He was tall, broad shouldered and had the most amazing eyes. She had never noticed that before. Violet eyes. How strange.

“How can I help you, Mr. Delaluci?” she asked him.

“I don’t want to hold you up, Miss Granger. How about I walk with you as we talk?” he said.

Well, that was considerate.

“Certainly, Mr. Delaluci,” she replied as she started walking. The wizard had to shorten his stride as he walked beside the witch.

“First a question,” Marcus said smoothly, “Have I done something to offend you, Miss Granger?”

Hermione stopped. Why would he ask her that?

“No, Mr. Delaluci. You’ve never done anything for me to take offense at. Why do you ask?” she replied her brow furrowed.

“Because you don’t assist me as you do the other teachers. I thought I might have done something that made you avoid me,” he said, looking at her intensely.

Hermione sighed with relief.

“Oh no, Mr. Delaluci. It’s just that I have the three classes I require for my credits. It has nothing to do with you personally,” she said.

They started walking again, turning down the dungeon corridor.

“I see,” he said. Then he fell silent for a moment. Hermione looked at him.

“Is there something you want, Mr. Delaluci?” she asked him.

The wizard looked at her, remembering her naked in the pensieve. Did he want something? Oh yes.

“I was wondering if you might consider assisting me with the DA classes. All of them are rather large and I find myself stretched to my limit sometimes. Between marking papers, demonstrating magic, overseeing the students and testing, I’m worn out. I really could use some help,” he said.

Actually, he was telling the truth. He did have large classes.

Hermione looked at him. If she helped him, that would be more experience under her belt. She could handle it.

“How many times a week?” she asked him.

“Whenever it is convenient for you. I need help all the time. Anytime you could show up would be fine,” he said.

Hermione considered this as they stopped in front of her rooms door.

“All right Mr. Delaluci, I’ll be happy to assist you. Just bring me a copy of your class schedule and I’ll work you in,” she said smiling at him.

The wizard smiled back broadly. He was quite handsome, but not too much so.

“I appreciate that, Miss Granger, and please, call me Marcus,” he said, his violet eyes telescoping at her. Hermione gasped.

“What did you just do with your eyes?” she asked him, staring into his face.

“What? This?” Marcus said, telescoping his eyes slowly so they turned completely black, then returning them to normal.

“How do you do that?” Hermione asked him. That was abnormal. No human pupil could enlarge to that size.

Marcus folded his arms and leaned against the wall next to the door and looked down at the witch.

“It has to do with an ancestor of mine. It seemed he kidnapped a village virgin that happened to be my great grandmother many, many times removed, and took a great liking to her. A very great liking,” the wizard said.

“And who was your ancestor?” Hermione asked, very interested.

Marcus hesitated a bit for effect.

“Well, I don’t know his name. I just know he was a dragon,” he replied, watching for her reaction.

“You’re a crossbreed,” Hermione said, her amber eyes wide at this implication. Marcus scowled at her a bit.

“I am mostly human. The dragon blood in my family was largely watered down, but by some twist of fate I was born with my ancestor’s attributes. First one in a thousand years. I don’t classify myself as a crossbreed, Miss Granger. To do so would relegate me to less than a second-class citizen, and I would have no rights under current human wizarding laws. I wouldn’t be allowed to work in any area where I was in contact with other humans, I wouldn’t be able to vote or to marry. I wouldn’t be allowed to travel. I wouldn’t even be allowed a wand. I would fall under the jurisdiction of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and be in the same position as house elves and werewolves. You know how few rights they have,” he said meaningfully.

“Yes, I do,” Hermione said.

She had in her younger years attempted to champion the rights of house elves, trying to get them fair wages and time off. The elves were uncooperative, preferring to stay as they were. And she knew Remus’ situation. He could hardly find employment anywhere but the most menial jobs. And even then he was let go.

“If I were to claim my heritage, they would attempt to take my rights away, my very manhood. And I assure you, Miss Granger, I am as much, if not more of a man as the next wizard,” he said in a low, passionate voice, “I would fight to the death to preserve my rights to live as a free wizard.

Hermione felt a little thrill go through her when the wizard said this. She hadn’t known he was so…so interesting. She had to know more about him.

At this moment, Severus walked past the couple. His black eyes swept over them as he passed, noting Marcus leaning against the wall and Hermione staring up at him in what seemed to be fascination. Was it that easy? She didn’t even seem to notice him pass. Marcus nodded slightly however.

The Potions Master stopped outside his door.

He heard Hermione say, “Mr. Del…I mean Marcus, I would love to hear more about your family history if you have time. Maybe we could do lunch later? Or tomorrow?”

The blonde wizard smiled at her.

“I’d be delighted to have lunch with you tomorrow, Miss Granger,” he said smoothly.

“Call me Hermione,” she replied, smiling, “We can have lunch in the astronomy tower. No one will disturb us there during the day. Say twelve noon?”

“That’s fine,” he said, telescoping his eyes at her again.

“Wonderful. And I’ll bring lunch. What do you like to eat?” she asked him.

Marcus looked at the witch so intensely her stomach felt a little queasy.

“I’m not hard to please,” he said softly, “Surprise me.”

“All right, I will,” Hermione said. She fumbled at the door. It wouldn’t open.

“Allow me,” Marcus said, withdrawing his wand, “Alohamora.”

The door opened. Hermione felt stupid.

“Of course it was locked,” she said, embarrassed.

“Don’t worry. I’m very good at opening doors,” Marcus said, looking down at the witch.

Severus still hovered outside the door, listening to Marcus work on the witch. He had to admit the wizard was smooth. Almost too smooth. He had been with her a little more than ten minutes and the witch had already invited him to lunch with her alone in the astronomy tower.

“All right then, I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow. Twelve sharp,” she said, entering her rooms.

“I’ll bring my schedule,” Marcus replied, “Goodbye for now, Hermione.”

“Goodbye, Marcus,” the witch said, closing the door.

Marcus stood there a moment looking at the door. That had been easy. Then his violet eyes fell on Snape, who was standing in front of his office door, looking at the wizard. Marcus smirked at him, turned and sauntered up the dungeon hallway, whistling.

Severus let himself into his office, then into his study. It was only about ten in the morning, but he wanted a drink. He fixed himself a shot of firewhiskey and dropped into the armchair before the fire. Hermione was a naïve little twit. Couldn’t she see through the wizard? No, of course she couldn’t. That’s why Severus had hired him in the first place. He was a master of seduction.

He tossed down the firewhiskey and set the shot glass down on the table. What had the wizard said to Hermione that made her invite him to lunch like that? And how did they get on a first name basis so quickly?

Severus caught himself. He didn’t need to question this. All he needed was for Marcus to get results, and he was doing that, just as he said he would. The Professor just didn’t realize he could move so quickly. Well, that was what he wanted, right? For the wizard to bed the witch and get her out of his hair once and for all as soon as possible.

Yes, that was what he wanted.

Wasn’t it?

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A/N: Wow. Marcus is one smooth wizard. I have to laugh about Severus. He doesn’t know what the hell he wants. Ah well. He set it up. He’s got to deal with it. Please review.

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The Burning Pen

Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery
by Ruth Solomon

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence. Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately. You are not welcome here. The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 11

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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