This was not the club, not in the classical sense of the way, it was more of a perpetual ongoing party house. Lucius had a grin of a cat who just ate the canary. He felt bored as he always was when he visited... well, his travelling cloak was leaning just so to one side, where the book, still heavy even after he shrunk it was.
"You have to live a little, Severus."
"I'm wondering how you are still alive." he grumbled but without malice in his voice, he had nagging suspicion that Lucius was alive on a count of his presence in this place.
"We have to find you a girl!" exclaimed Lucius
"No, thank you."
"A bloke then?" Lucius raise one eyebrow at him
"A book and a glass of wine, if you are in a wish-granting mood, Lucius." He drawled. They entered a huge living room and he eyed his spot, a comfortable high back chair near the fireplace, his usual spot.
"Sometimes I wonder why do you even bother to come here."
"You drag me here." he would spend his nights engrossed in a book with a glass of wine while Lucius prowled the rooms and chatted. They didn't even manage to hand their cloaks when tanned girl almost runs towards them.
"Thank Merlin! Can you help me with the situation?"
"What is the matter, Rose?" Rose was owner's girl, tame little thing always elegant and measured, her flustered behaviour set the alarm bells in his head
"We have a pair of newcomers, and it is odd situation but I was blocked…and…can one of you sirs just check what is going on? Please?!" there was a note of desperation in her voice.
"Calm yourself down, Rose." Lucius gently patted girls hand "Where is Oktavian?"
"I haven't seen him since we opened our door. The guy had a password but there is something odd about him, and he just…" her voice broke down. Lucius gave him a look above girl's head.
"You and Rose go and look for Oktavian, I'll see what is going on." He unclasped his cloak and tossed it to the nearest settee, rolling up his sleeves.
"They are in the Red Room." Called Rose behind his back. He circled down the corridor and to the fourth door on the left. Nothing out of the ordinary caught his eye, usual crowds gathered there, whispering around corners, which was not so unusual since it was still early evening. At the far end of the room, there was a girl tied to a frame. No one was near her, now that was odd.
He grabbed the man with the mask by the sleeve.
"What is going on?"
"Severus, didn't see you in ages!" smiled the man "Oh, new couple. Bit of weirdoes and in this crowd it says a lot. Poor creature, she is there at least an hour and no one approached her. I would, but you know, that is not my thing."
"Hmh. Thank you."
"Glad to be of assistance" smiled the man and walked away. He approached the girl carefully, scanning the crowds, no unfamiliar faces. He lingered near the girl enough still, no one approached him. He paced to the girl, she was trembling. She had an elegant chignon and big doe brown eyes, and nothing much else. She was maybe a year or two younger than him.
"What's your name, little girl?"
"Marianne, sir." She whispered, her voice trembling even more than she did
"What did you do to be left here, Marianne?"
"Nothing, sir. He promised me he will show me around. Sir." She raised her eyes to his for a split second and lowered them again
"Where is your Master, girl?"
"He…he is not, sir. I met him couple weeks ago in the Wand, sir." Her voice was hanging by the threads, he swore under his breath. Raising her chin with the middle finger he gazes into her eyes. What was she doing in that dump?
"Let's get you out of this." He was the wrong person to deal with this. Try as he may, his dead eyes and cold voice were not something that could calm terrified girl.
"What is going on, Severus?" boomed a strong voice of Octavian, the owner of this house. Tension left his shoulders, Lucius was much more adapted to the situation.
"You should have better security, Octavian. You have a red flag running around your premises."
"Really, who?" Octavian was a large man but usually gentle one, his anger, however, could be intimidating for the most.
"I still don't know, but I'm sure he will be once we find him. He brought a girl, not his, tied her up and just left her. Lucius, hold her, she's up for at least an hour."
Lucius was whispering something to the girl's ear, while he unclasped the binds. Rose was next to them, holding the robe, Lucius used it to wrap the girl. She was crying, shaking, too weak to stand on her own. He took the girl in his arms and carried her to one of the private rooms. She didn't need the ogling crowds that gathered around.
His peaceful evening with a book just had an unsuspecting and most unsatisfying left turn. He's annoyed. Lucius went to bring them all the drinks while girl tried to explain how she managed to find herself in that situation. She was from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and apparently new to England and to this world. She clung to his sleeve like a leach. He suppressed the growl.
They barely managed to calm the girl down, when she started to shake again. The noise was coming from the direction of the Red Room. He glared at Lucius and Octavian.
"Rose, stay with her." He hissed and walked towards the room followed by two other men. Dark haired man, with slick hair glued to his head, was causing ruckus
"Who untied the girl?" he demanded
"I did." He drawled almost too quiet, crowds stepped away "Are you her Master?"
The guy looked at him with spite and he raised an eyebrow, allowing menacing smile to twitch corners of his lips
"You had no right! She came with me." The man demanded
"Are. You. Her. Master? I asked you a question?" he growled 'Coward'
"No, she came here with me.I'm protecting her." Severus's eyebrow risen even higher, he narrowed his eyes at the newcomer and the man looked like he is ready to bolt, eyeing at Severus then behind his back at Lucius and Octavian. "Why did you free her?" asked newcomer.
"Why did you leave her?" his voice vibrated dangerously and the newcomer stepped away, man's eyes darted to his left hand
"I know you. Do you want her? You can have her, she's not mine anyway."
"I believe you have your red flag, Octavian. My advice, keep the girl, toss him out." He clenched his fist and walked away wishing he could de-stress just a bit using this wanker as a target practice. Lucius followed him at his heel
"Your reputation precedes you."
"Oh, jolly." He groused "All I wanted was a book and a glass of wine, Lucius."
"You are repeating yourself, Severus."
"Until it sinks in, Lucius. But, I guess it is a lost cause on you." He glanced at the blonde who just grinned. Rose managed to calm the girl down.
"You are safe, he will be escorted from the premises." He told the girl "In a few minutes you can go out and find someone more suiting for you."
"Thank you, sir." She whispered "Ummm, sir…" he looked at her, she had a deep blush "I did come here for a reason. Could you…"
"I am not what you need, little girl."
"But you do know how to wield a flogger?"
"Is that why you were tied up?"
"No, he told me he will show me around, find someone to use the flogger on me…I was reluctant to allow him..,sir"
"Why?"
"He used a whip on me, sir. It took a lot of dittany to close the gash, sir. I am not…I do not like the blood and skin breaks. I have my limits, sir." Her voice was quiet. He nodded, at least she knew that much, too bad she was not so good at choosing partners. "Could,… could you do it?"
"Why? Are you that desperate to get back on that frame?" he saw Lucius making a minuscule motion, glaring at him, but staying quiet. Octavian was whispering something with Rose in one of the corners
"No, sir. But I do want the experience, and I am afraid…that if I don't do it tonight, I won't have the strength to do it at all, sir. And…I feel safe next to you, sir." Lucius chuckled and he cut him with the glare. All he wanted were the book and the wine, but girls doe-like eyes looked at him with trust. His chest constricted for a second.
"Fine. But, rest first. At least an hour. I won't have you tied up so soon again."
"Go on, Marianne, go with Rose." Octavian's voice was gentle, Rose took the girl "We will 'adopt her' until we find her a proper Master." He declared "It will be a pleasure to see you in action again Severus, for too long you just ignored the scene." The man smiled
"I'd like to tie that wanker to a frame and show him how to use a whip properly, to peal someone's skin." He growled "I'll be in my usual spot. Reading." He glared pointedly at Lucius and walked away…
…Two hours later he was standing once again next to the rack. Same girl tied to it. But this time she wasn't scared. He measured the heaviness and the balance of the leather in his hand.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, sir."
"Call yellow for toning it down and red for stop."
"Yes, sir."
He flicked his wrist, the leather thwacked against her skin lightly, licking it. It was just a short bite, not painful, more of a stingy. He waited few seconds. She grunted at the back of her throat and pushed back to him as much as ties allowed. He grinned and flicked his wrist again, hitting her lower, catching her buttcheeks and top of her thighs with strips. Her back arched. Not waiting he flicked again, her back this time, she moaned. 'I've got your number, little girl.' He kept his flicks light, moving them around, increasing strength only on her back. Her moans were hoarse and louder as the time progressed. But then they became more subdued, lost. He frowned 'Oh, no you won't.' he flicked his wrist sharply, hitting her inner thigh, she yelled opening her drowsy eyes. Next flick was again on her back and she moaned again, loudly. Fine perspiration coated her skin. He narrowed his eyes, after ten or fifteen more flicks he stepped against her, pressing his chest against her back. He pushed the handle of the flogger inside her, pressing her clitoris with his thumb. She went rigid next to him then started to shake with a guttural cry, and after a while went limp, sagging in her binds.
"Rose." He called. He had no will to release her or give her aftercare, Rose will see to that. Walking away he glanced at her back, the skin was red but it did not break, it won't even bruise. He smirked, walking towards his corner.
"It was a pleasure to see you in action again, my friend."
"All I wanted was the book and the wine, Lucius." He retorts, finally reaching the high back chair.
His eyes flew open. Merlin, why that and why now? It wasn't a bad memory, it wasn't a locked memory. It was a forgotten memory at best. It happened few weeks before his first year as a teacher at Hogwarts. So why… he tries to move. This can't be happening…Salazar, kill me!