Chapter title/song video "Sisters of the Moon" by Fleetwood Mac.
Chapter is about sex magic, so mature themes. Mostly just talk though- not all that graphic except for the opening scene. ☺️
____________
Colleen awakened to long, deliberate fingers buried inside of her and her own wetness teasing the tops of her thighs. Teeth gently nibbled her earlobe, and a warm chest occasionally created friction against her breast as a side effect of her wizard's slow, intentional movements. She let out a contented sigh as she became fully conscious and brought her hand up to caress the tattooed bicep of the arm giving her so much pleasure.
"Good morning, love," Sirius whispered.
The man had been obsessed with her climax ever since their day apart a week ago. Of course she knew why. She'd read a few chapters of the book he had borrowed from Rhiannon. It was all a bit silly in her mind— the type of thing written for crazy, desperate ladies who traipsed the seedier streets of London in search of goddess candles and incense and tarot cards.
But Sirius had pleaded with Colleen to spend some time with his ethereal ex later that afternoon and learn the traditions in which Rhiannon had been raised, combined with ancient Celtic magic the witch had absorbed since her arrival to the British wizarding world. It all centered around the idea of harnessing Colleen's own feminine power, accessing it through sexual practice, and utilizing it as a force of protection. It seemed wild, insane, and a bit dark and frightening. Not to mention having to work one-on-one with the overwhelming force of the now twenty-year-old enchantress. But Colleen couldn't complain too much when it resulted in mornings like this one.
"Sirius...oh god! Yes!" she gasped. She tried to focus on her "desired outcome" and "manifesting her power," as the book encouraged, but the fact was that her desired outcome was simply her series of glorious tremors around her partner's sensuous, perfectly crafted hand.
Colleen rode the final waves locked in his kiss, breathing in his air. The fingers that had worked their magic inside her came to trace her face intimately. She couldn't outright deny that there was power in what they created together. It was certainly different than anything she'd ever experienced before, and it left her profoundly relaxed and whole. Still, the thought of translating that into something as practical as strength and protection seemed bizarre and impossible.
They chose to dine at Colleen's that evening, with their guests arriving at 3:00 for the women to begin their practice. Ben would remain at home, but would be helping Sirius in the kitchen, along with Rhiannon's husband. Sirius did not seem too keen on this last part, but he did admit it had been his idea. He'd explained that the two were childhood enemies with a great deal of bad blood that extended beyond their obvious tensions over Rhiannon. But as Sirius was working with his therapist to erase the ghosts of the past, he thought it might be prudent to address this one as well. Or at least give it his best shot.
The pair arrived exactly on time, Rhiannon in another green gown, this time adorned with white lace elements, tied ribbons, and gold Celtic braids woven into the emerald satin. Her husband was much taller than she, dressed head to toe in black, with pale skin and the darkest eyes Colleen had ever seen. While Sirius had obviously been able to fool her into thinking he was just another man for quite some time, this man robed in black was the very embodiment of a wizard. People in her building who had caught a glimpse of the couple on their way up must still be scraping their mouths off the floor.
"Hello," Colleen greeted them, mustering the most confident smile she could. "Happy birthday, Rhiannon."
The girl enveloped Colleen in a hug. "Thank you. I'm so excited to be celebrating it here with you and Sirius. Your home is beautiful— so warm and elegant! I told you that you had an eye for beauty. This is my husband, Severus Snape."
The man extended a hand slowly, his hard face never breaking into a smile. "Good afternoon, Ms. Gilmore."
Colleen had never heard a voice so low and mysterious. It seemed to send vibrations through her. At first she hadn't really understood why the young, vibrant girl would have chosen this wizard over Sirius, but he definitely had his own commanding power that somehow seemed better matched to Rhiannon's, as if he tempered her, grounded her, and provided balance.
"Please call me Colleen," she insisted. The man nodded and slipped silently past her, observing her living space with a discerning and calculating eye.
"Mummy! Sirius needs to know if we have 'seal on toe.'" Ben came running into the living room at top speed but hit the brakes when he nearly ran into Severus Snape. His wide blue eyes blinked as he stared up at the looming black figure above him.
Colleen studied Ben for a minute, mentally combing through the list of ingredients for Rhiannon's birthday dinner. "Cilantro? Yes. It looks so much like parsley it's confusing, love. I'll go help him."
She turned toward the kitchen but stopped when she noticed Severus studying Ben intensely, as if he were trying to read his mind through his eyes. Colleen put a protective arm around her son's shoulders.
"This must be Benji!" Rhiannon exclaimed. "Sirius has told me all about you. What a handsome young wizard you are!"
Sirius appeared in the doorway with a bag of cilantro in one hand and parsley in the other. He cleared his throat pointedly at Rhiannon.
"Oh, sorry," Rhiannon said quickly. "Handsome boy."
"Thank you, but I am a wizard," Ben told her, reaching his tiny hand to the girl. "You're very pretty. Are you a princess?"
Rhiannon shook her head with a smile.
Colleen still wasn't a fan of Sirius playing the 'wizarding school' game with Ben and filling him with dreams that could never be reality. Ben had fallen in love with the little owl figurine Sirius had given him for his birthday and immediately asked if that was what his Hogwarts owl would look like someday. It was a sweet and special gift, but Colleen was grateful Sirius had at least tried to stop further hints at the subject just now.
"Shall we begin?" Rhiannon asked Colleen brightly.
Colleen nodded and noticed the two wizards eyeing each other warily.
"Don't take too long, all right?" advised Sirius. "First time and all." He pulled Colleen to him and rubbed her back gently. "It will be fine, though, love. You will do beautifully. Severus, Benji— shall we? We're preparing Indian cuisine this evening— Mrs. Snape's favorite."
Rhiannon grinned, and her rather dour husband followed Sirius into the kitchen with a heavy sigh.
"Cilantro is in your left hand!" Colleen called to Sirius as she led Rhiannon back to her bedroom.
"You two are perfect together," Rhiannon remarked, shutting the door behind them. She waved her wand as if she were creating some type of seal. The girl's wand was a golden brown wood, much lighter than Sirius's, and it was rather plain, lacking the runic markings of his. She lit the candles on the dresser as Sirius always did and used her wand to shut the window blinds, leaving the two women in a dim, sultry light.
"The energy between the two of you is very natural," she continued. "I can tell you've already bonded on a very primal, physical level. I'm guessing scent?"
Colleen felt a blush creep to her pale skin. "I suppose. Sirius seems a bit stuck on such things. And I do like the way he smells."
"Like it, or feel like you wouldn't be complete without it?" Rhiannon asked, seeming like she already knew the answer.
"The latter. I felt that way almost from the beginning," admitted Colleen.
"That's good. The smell and taste of our partners, and ourselves, is very important in magic. Severus and I completed our soul bond through eye contact, though. There are many different ways you can create intimate connections, and you can still achieve the energy you need for a spell without going so far as to bond souls."
Colleen was already nervous and they weren't even a minute in. She sat down on her bed slowly and watched Rhiannon empty a carpet bag adorned with a majestic golden bird. The bag seemed never ending— containing candles, crystals, stones, potion bottles, and myriad other trinkets.
"What exactly is a soul bond?" Colleen asked hesitantly. "It sounds scary. And so permanent."
"It is," Rhiannon replied. "And I warned Severus I didn't think Sirius would want to go that far. Not because of you," she added quickly. "But because he would want to give you more free will in your relationship. Consent is very important to him. In soul bonding you do have to consent to the initial bond, so it's not entirely coercive. But then going forward you have to be willing to submit to your partner's wishes, or there can be painful consequences. It takes a lot of communication and negotiation. The benefits are spectacular though, and I think worth it. You have an unspoken communication that forms between you, and a sense of when the other may be in danger. And of course the sex is just beyond..."
Colleen laughed softly. "The sex with Sirius is already beyond." It occurred to her that the girl already knew that, and she shifted uncomfortably.
"He's a remarkable lover," Rhiannon agreed gently, lowering herself to Colleen's side. "Attentive, adoring, considerate. Even more so, I'm sure, when you're his natural partner. With animal instincts like his I'm sure he sees you as an extension of himself and appreciates you as such."
"The canine stuff?" Colleen wrinkled her nose. "Is he a werewolf or something, Rhiannon?" The question had just burst forth without Colleen even conscious of the silliness of it. For some reason Rhiannon brought these random truths Colleen had been gnawing on to the forefront, like when she had spontaneously cried at their last meeting.
Rhiannon hesitated, clearly considering whether she was overstepping her bounds. "He's not a werewolf, although his best friend is."
"Remus?" Colleen's eyes grew wide. Poor Tonks. It was all becoming clearer.
"Yes. Remus was attacked by a werewolf as a child so he has no choice, and he transforms each full moon. Severus makes a very complex potion for him that makes it bearable, at least. Sirius, though, is an Animagus. It's a magical discipline that one can choose to master, but having a natural inclination to the magic is also necessary. I'm actually in the process of studying it myself— trying to use my connection to birds. It's enormously difficult. But Sirius chose the form of a black dog— or I suppose it chose him, as well. This allowed him to keep Remus company each month and help Remus retain the love of his pack even in his most trying time. Their friends learned to transform as well, into a stag and a rat. It's no surprise I guess that the 'rat' was the traitor ultimately responsible for killing James and sending Sirius to prison."
So this is what Sirius had seemed so reticent to tell her all this time. Colleen could understand why. It definitely gave an unsettling feeling. So she'd had sex with a dog?
Beauty and the Beast, she remembered wryly.
"I probably shouldn't have told you that," Rhiannon apologized. "Maybe act surprised when he tells you?" She had an unusual nervousness in her eyes like a child caught sneaking around.
Colleen gave an incredulous laugh. "I probably still will be surprised. Nothing about this is easy to grasp. Least of all this."
"I promise it's not as shocking as it seems," Rhiannon tried to reassure her. "Sirius is in full control of it, and the states of being are distinct. Well, most of the time. They do flow into each other mentally. He's still fully a man, so don't worry. He just has these heightened instincts and senses leftover from it, when in human form. Which ultimately translates into his aptitude as a lover. Positive side effect."
Colleen covered her face as she had with Sirius so many times in the beginning, and Rhiannon responded as he always did, by promptly removing them.
"Don't be embarrassed," she said firmly, running her hands over Colleen's arms. "The Muggle world is ridiculously disconnected from the mystical nature of sex. That's what causes feelings of shame and embarrassment like what you just felt. But you and I are going to conquer that. You'll see that it's your connection to the energy of everything— the earth, the sky, the divine, other humans and animals, and your own inner power. There aren't these clear lines of distinction that warrant these moral fortresses to be built, like many Muggle beliefs require."
Colleen just shook her head. "So you're trying to tell
me I shouldn't be embarrassed that I...screwed a dog?"
"You didn't," Rhiannon assured her. "You made love to a man— a wizard— your partner. He just has the ability to turn into something else. To be perfectly honest, you could though, if you and Sirius wanted to. It's not the same as being with an animal. He's an Animagus wizard."
"God, no!" Colleen shrieked, throwing herself face down onto her pillow. She was at that point again where her brain felt like it was stretching beyond its limitations, only this time it was compounded by deep, sickening embarrassment. Rhiannon's hand immediately came to massage her back.
"I know. Too much too fast. And he and I never did that, I promise."
"Ugh," Colleen groaned. "You all are asking way too much of me. I feel like I've joined some crazy sex cult."
"Sirius would never, ever ask that of you," Rhiannon promised. "In fact I'm certain he wouldn't even transform in front of you if you asked him not to, and he'd be perfectly okay with that. He's incredibly noble and respectful — it's the Gryffindor in him. Now if the war were to necessitate that he transform in battle, to either hide or defend himself, or you, then you may have to see it. But other than that, pretend we didn't even discuss it."
"Yeah, I'll just let it float right out of my head," Colleen muttered sarcastically. She had to admit that the idea of Sirius transforming into a giant, angry dog to protect her and Ben was appealing though.
Rhiannon laughed and started toying with Colleen's hair again, leaning in toward her. The woman was the very personification of the belief she'd just espoused— that she didn't believe in unyielding moral walls or boundaries. Everything about her was fluid and easy. Colleen was envious.
"It's time to focus on you," Rhiannon began. "I want to start by discussing your goals." She lifted a purple crystal and placed it in Colleen's hand.
"This is an amethyst. Holding it while we talk will help to set your intentionality. Now I know the ultimate goal is to create protective energies around you and Ben to serve you in the wizarding war. But that is a monumental goal and much too broad to begin with. What's something a little more immediate and tangible we could work on?"
Colleen could tell Rhiannon was a skillful professor. Direct, open, purposeful, and encouraging. She put Colleen at ease even though the topic at hand was mind-boggling.
"Well, weeks ago I would have said 'building my confidence," responded Colleen. "But Sirius has done wonders for that already."
"That's wonderful!"
"So...I suppose along those same lines, is addressing my fear. Not about the war so much, since we will work on that later on, but about all these little revelations in general. As it is now, I make it about five minutes in wizarding world talk and have to ask Sirius to stop. Or he sees me become completely overwhelmed and he shuts it off himself. I— I have always been a really fearful person. It's my upbringing, I suppose. My father was a drunk, and he and my mother were always unstable. I grew up in my own little world a lot, and probably never learned to conquer the things that I should. And then I married an abuser, who kept me under his thumb until he died. So fear is kind of my default, I think."
Rhiannon stroked Colleen's hand that held the amethyst and nodded, her face somber and understanding. "I get it. I'm the daughter of a Dark Lord and a whore. Parent shit is tough." She lifted Colleen's hand to her beautiful lips and kissed it delicately. "But we will overcome it. No doubt."
"So your intention is set," Rhiannon continued. "Overcome fear— specifically your fear about Sirius's world. Which is a positive goal, because being with him is essential, now that the two of you have come so far."
Colleen gave a small laugh. "We haven't even known each other two months yet."
Rhiannon smiled and shook her head. "Time is just a construct for the mind. It means nothing for the soul. Think back to the first moments he touched you. The moments you first smelled him. Do you remember them?"
Colleen nodded emphatically. "I'll never forget."
"Your energies have known each other for eons," Rhiannon explained. "And they recognized each other immediately. That's all that matters. Now, my intuition was correct in selecting the amethyst. That's the crystal you'll want to keep in your bed in the beginning, as it's the one for easing anxiety. I'm leaving you seventeen different ones though, and a small book telling you what to use each one for."
Colleen perused the pages. "It's blank."
"Oh!" Rhiannon laughed. "I forgot the counter spell." She waved her wand, and delicate lettering appeared upon the pages of the little brown leather book.
"Now this candle...you'll light it whenever you're practicing. I don't expect you to have every sexual encounter in bed and be near your candle, but you'll want to set aside time as often as you feasibly can to practice with these aids, to maximize your power. We're going to carve a symbol in it for you, to help solidify your intention. When the candle burns beyond the symbol and is no longer visible, you'll start a new goal. I'll be leaving you several candles, and of course can bring more when I visit."
"How much sex do you think I'll be having?" Colleen asked dubiously. The candle was rather large.
"Um, we're talking about Sirius Black," Rhiannon reminded her, her laughter ringing off the walls once again like the striking of a heavenly bell. "And aside from being his passionate, insatiable self, he's a wizard. They can go as long as you need them to. Severus will tell me he's tired, but my energy always ignites his. And if it doesn't for some reason, there are always spells." She winked.
Colleen felt herself blush as an image of the couple together entered her mind. She couldn't even imagine the intensity they must generate every time they united.
"It's a lot," Rhiannon agreed.
Colleen startled. "What?"
"Sorry." Rhiannon frowned sheepishly. "I forgot to tell you. I'm a Legilimens."
"Is that like an Animagus?"
"Yes and no. It is similar in that it's a highly specialized skill not common to most witches and wizards. Severus is one too. But it means that I can see and hear your thoughts. 'Mind-reading' is not really the term for it, however. It's more like mining— I can go looking for what I need or want to know."
Colleen's hand flew to her mouth in embarrassment as she wracked her memory for anything potentially incriminating she might have thought during their past two meetings. She also recalled the way Severus had looked at Ben. What on earth had he been trying to find out?
"I don't use it all the time," Rhiannon assured her. "Neither does Severus. Most of the time I keep it turned off. I just tap into your energy so easily that it just kind of happened. I will make a conscious effort to stop though if it makes you uncomfortable."
"Yes, please do," Colleen insisted. "We are already far too close considering what we are to each other, don't you think?"
"And what's that?" Rhiannon teased. "Just because I'm his ex? It should bring us closer all the more. Again, don't be so quick to put up all these boundaries and definitions. It just means I can understand and help you better, because I benefited from his similar sacred energy for a time. I promise though— what he has with you is unique. Just like what I shared with Sirius will never be what I share with Severus. It's all beautiful, and it's all
purposeful. So please don't worry or allow negative energies like jealousy or anger to taint the work that you'll accomplish. Like I told you with the diamond the other night— just appreciate the beauty."
She got on her knees and embraced Colleen once again. Her hair smelled intoxicating— like citrus, wild blooms, passion fruit, and sandalwood. So this is what witches were really like— no sallow green skin or nose-warts or ear piercing shrieks. Witches were radiant and powerful and mesmerizing; they were soft curls, flushed lips, smooth skin, and elegant dresses hugging sensuous curves. Colleen couldn't stop her jealousy in that instant, but not because of Sirius— because she wanted to be her. To be that perfect.
"Every woman is that perfect," Rhiannon whispered. "She just has to discover that about herself. I'm here to help you. Your sister. All right?"
Colleen nodded. She felt like her mind had finally decided to be all-in. She was insanely excited.
"And I'm sorry I saw your thoughts again. I will work on it. Forgive me?"
"Yes," Colleen laughed. "Now we need to talk about these orgasms."
"My favorite subject. What about them?"
"Well, I read the book, but I don't understand how orgasms lend themselves to power. Sirius told me and it honestly just sounded like a ploy to get himself laid."
"With him that was probably a large part of it," Rhiannon agreed with a grin. "Just joking— he truly is concerned that you're concerned about your safety. He wants to give you all the possible tools available to a Muggle, even if he doesn't quite understand them himself."
"But how does it work?" Colleen pressed.
"The orgasm itself is powerful because it's the one instant where you are completely, totally focused on one thing. Your body, mind, and spirit all united with one purpose. There may be times when having sex that your mind wanders, of course, but not in that orgasmic moment. It's like the whole world has folded in on itself and becomes that one tiny spot inside you, and it's all that exists for that moment in time, right?"
"Yes," agreed Colleen. She couldn't believe just months ago she would have barely understood what the girl was talking about, and now she had memories as recent as this morning generating a wave of heat within her.
"So that is what we use," Rhiannon explained. "We take advantage of that divine union of body, mind, and spirit, and we marry the goal into the mix. It creates what some schools of thought call the 'magical child'— an actual unit of energy on a cosmic plane, and each of those energy units you produce works to increase your overall power."
"And that's where you lost me," Colleen declared with a shake of her head. "Cosmic planes?"
"It's still a mystery in our world too. We know how to use it for our purposes, but we don't completely understand it. Just keep reading the book I gave you— it will help. And I've loads more. Severus would spank me for telling you that; he isn't a fan of magical things being given to Muggles. Although he did make something for you. I was so proud of him."
Rhiannon rummaged deeper in her bottomless carpet bag and produced a glass jar filled with shiny amber-red, gel-like orbs. "They're Ashwagandha. I think the Muggle world sells these too, which is why Severus didn't mind making them. They're just a little harder to come by; I don't think English Muggles have quite caught on to how incredible they are just yet. It's a root that's native to India and used in ancient Ayurvedic practices. Severus puts it into these delightful little candies. He's so talented at potion making. You'll find it greatly decreases anxiety and increases sexual desire and pleasure. Sirius won't know what hit him."
"Thanks. I guess I'll start taking them tonight?"
"Yes. Let me carve your first sigil into your candle." Rhiannon etched a symbol with her wand that resembled an "n" but with a diagonally slanted top. "It's a rune that means 'courage,'" she explained. "Should be exactly what you need for your manifestation."
Colleen thanked her again and suggested they check on the progress of her birthday dinner.
"Hahaha, yes," Rhiannon agreed. "We need to make sure they haven't used any Unforgiveables on one another."
Colleen wasn't sure what that meant, but the two women linked arms and headed to the kitchen. They found that their wizards and Ben had almost finished preparing the meal. Sirius's grin was a mile wide when he saw the women together.
"So it was successful then?"
Colleen nodded and pulled him into an open-mouth kiss, finding she was more than a little aroused after their session.
"Mmm," Sirius murmured. "I'd say so."
"Rhiannon is nearly always successful in everything she attempts," Severus spoke up as he poured the tikka masala over a platter of basmati rice.
"I poured the rice in, Mummy," Ben piped up. "And added the salt. The professor showed me how."
Rhiannon greeted her wizard with a kiss this time, seeming to beam at him proudly. He met her with a half smile and a gleam in his eye that told Colleen they wouldn't be sticking around long after dinner.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Colleen sprang to the living room and came back with Rhiannon's birthday gift basket, which she had assembled at the international market down the street earlier in the week.
"It's all Dutch!" Rhiannon exclaimed. "You even got more Stroopwafels. Thank you!"
"Told you Colleen's a Hufflepuff, Severus," said Sirius. "She takes one little conversation and transforms it into a perfect gift."
The five of them sat down to their Indian feast along with wine and a caramel apple birthday cake. Colleen was reminded of how she'd felt that night in the club with Remus and Tonks— this overwhelming sense of belonging, even though she was obviously an outsider in this intricate and fantastic world. Even Ben seemed to be truly alive throughout the whole meal, bursting with questions for Severus about Hogwarts and potion-making. Apparently they'd had quite the conversation while the women were in session. Severus had warmed considerably from his mood upon arrival, allowing a small smile to grace the corner of his mouth at some of Ben's more creative inquiries.
"So are the two of you considering children?" Sirius asked their guests, his hand rubbing Colleen's leg affectionately. She cast a glance of disapproval in his direction. That question was always so awkward.
"Yes," Severus answered without hesitation.
"At some point," Rhiannon clarified. "What about you?"
"Absolutely. 100 percent," Sirius replied definitively.
Colleen almost choked on her after-dinner espresso. "First I've heard of this one."
Rhiannon laughed. "Sirius has such a breeding kink."
"Rhiannon!" Severus scolded, casting a quick look at Ben.
"Oops. Sorry."
Colleen stood to clear dishes from the table, fully flushed. Sirius followed quickly behind her.
"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, sweetheart. I just keep thinking about how you would be the most beautiful pregnant woman in the world."
"Obviously you thought that about Rhiannon, too."
"I have an issue," he admitted. "Nearing forty, wasting twelve years in prison..."
"And being a dog," Colleen supplied.
Sirius's eyes grew wide and he coughed uncomfortably. "Rhiannon again?"
"Yes. But to be fair, I sort of asked her. Why didn't you just tell me?"
"I didn't want to overwhelm you. Or lose you. That's a rather big one for Muggles to digest, I would imagine."
Colleen grinned and wrapped her arms around Sirius's neck. She'd quickly forgotten her embarrassment with the distraction of how he looked in his burgundy button-up shirt. She buried her nose in his hair, curious if she could detect anything different about him now that she was armed with this new knowledge. He still just smelled like the man she...loved. And she couldn't wait to light her candle, bury the amethyst under her pillow, and start making this insane, crazy magic with him. But only "magical children" on this elusive cosmic plane— not actual ones.
"My goal I set with Rhiannon is to get better at accepting these big reveals and not be so overwhelmed and frightened. The Animagus thing did throw me for a loop, but I'm trying to just go with it. I'm thinking it doesn't change much between us, as long as I don't dwell on it."
"Exactly," Sirius agreed. "I won't mention it again if it makes you uncomfortable. And sorry about the...err...breeding thing."
Colleen laughed. "As long as it's just your fantasy I can handle it. But I'm worried enough about protecting the child I have without bringing any more pups into the mix."
Sirius seemed delighted at her joke and gave her a long kiss. "What do you say we gently encourage our guests to go home?"
"I don't think it will take much encouragement," replied Colleen. "They seem to have plans of their own for the evening, based on the looks they keep giving each other. It must be nice to be bonded like that."
Sirius examined her with surprise. "You would want something like that? Stuck with me for eternity?"
"I don't know. Rhiannon and I discussed it somewhat. It sounds safe...and romantic. But also frightening."
Sirius nodded. "Accurate assessment. We can explore the idea if you want. Or we can just work out our own thing. I'm inclined to think that's better. You and I are pretty amazing, don't you think?"
"Completely and unbelievably amazing."
Colleen was just about to sink into his kisses again when they heard a giant crash in the adjacent room.
_______
Please remember to vote if you are liking the story so far. Thank you!! 💕