Disclaimer... You know the drill.

Huge and much apologizes! Seriously, no words can describe my lateness! Welcome old and new readers! Thanks for waiting:)

A/N: This chapter will be short, but a chapter none the less! I'm not going to give you guys any excuses, but a possible reason at the bottom of this chapter.

Last up-dated: 3/9/13.

Last time: The Yule ball took place. What will happen next?

Secrets Bound… Chapter 16!

Cecilia yawned as she stretched getting out of bed. The ball's events were far from perfect, but Severus made up for the dull beginning in the end. She left the common room after getting dressed and went to meet Snape for bonding –exercise time.

However, when she met up with him he didn't seem pleased not one bit. "Did you read the paper before leaving your dorm?"

Cecilia's brows creased in confusion. Why was she supposed to?

"I say we find the insect and boil her, "Zabuza commented his nose upturning.

Snape acknowledge and agreed with his former self, but said not a word waiting on Cecilia's reaction.

"I can't believe. Hagrid," Snape pursed his lips, brows thinning.

"Baby-girl…" he began, but Cecilia was already sprinting down the halls. That wasn't the article that he wanted her to see.

A few hours later – in the Great Hall; Cecilia was fuming for Hagrid, but... "Cecily," Ron called reading the article over Hermione's shoulder. "You might wanna turn to the third section..." he trailed off.

Horrendous scandal: teacher and student or lovers?

At the bottom of the heading was a picture of Severus and Cecilia on the night of the Yule ball.

A teacher, well known to Hogwarts. The re-owned potions master, Severus Snape snogging with the notorious –attention seeking, Girl-Who-Lived! What is this beautiful country coming to? If these two could get away with this illegal, monstrosity than what's to say that the parents' can stop their children from doing the same with other professors?!

Cecilia held the papers with a fisted grip; gritting her teeth. Ron and Hermione and Draco were discretely looking around the great hall and found people reading that very article with a sick fascination.

It wasn't long before the muttering began.

"I bet she wasn't even scrubbing cauldrons," a student muttered to a group.

"To busy snogging of Snape to realize," the other added.

"It was all just an act, wasn't it?"

"Hard to believe," a short boy added in. "Perhaps they always had some signals."

"Signals," a girl hissed. "More like bees attracted to honey."

The mutterings continued even with Snape receiving the same if not equal treatment from his fellow workers.

McGonagall set her newspapers in flames; snatching the nearest one from her fellow teacher and turned stern eyes one the potions master. "Severus, what in-tarnation is this all about?! Kissing a student," she hissed like a feral cat.

"That's quite enough, Minerva." Dumbledore chirped in. "Severus a word, please."

"I say one of them use the imperious," the imposter Moody said sagely.

Trelawney was the only one who didn't agree with what he said and the others choose to hope that the auror was wrong.

"ENOUGH!" the hall fell silent.

Dumbledore then lead Snape into his office. "Lemon drop? No, I supposed not." Dumbledore looked up and face his spy. "Explain what this is all about, Severus?"

Snape stayed closed lipped.

"I know that Cecilia has her mother's eyes-"Snape glared heatedly. "And, she would have some similarities to her mother, and would-

"Stop there, Albus." Snape growled out. "Stop right there! Yes, that is all very true, but the girl is her own person. She doesn't need to be compared –

"Is it that bad, my boy? That…. bad… that- you would pin after her own daughter?"

Damn.

Snape gritted his teeth and clenched his fist to the point where his knuckles were turning white.

"If it isn't than I want you to keep your distance. Is that clear, Severus?"

Snape didn't answer.

"Are we clear, Severus?"

"Yes, headmaster. We're clear," he growled out nastily before bellowing out the office with haste unrivaled.

When Cecilia went to see him it was wrenching because he couldn't explain himself; couldn't explain that it was partially for her own good that he stayed away, not because Dumbledore ordered him to.

For weeks the two articles- no her article stayed while Hagrid's disappeared within two weeks' time. Why was fate being so cruel? No, why was Skeeter still buzzing about?

"It'll," Hermione yawned. "Blow over soon." She lay against the small tree, small unnoticeable clouds loomed overboard.

"I-I just wish it was sooner than later," Cecilia sighed defeated. Haku didn't know what do, but he tried to cheer Cecilia up by conjuring Skeeter-cycles and bee-cycles, and other hilarious things such as the beetle stuck in a water vortex.

"Glad to finally see a smile," Haku said smiling as well.

"By the looks of things I say, your spirit has succeeded," Hermione said stretching. "But, anyways I finally came up with something to catch the annoying fly."

Cecilia continued to grin; "Spill."

Hermione smiled mysteriously. "I won't ruin the surprise, Cecily. Now, come on let's go meet the mutt," Cecilia mocked pouted, but followed her lazy-genius friend.

They met up with Ron and Draco.

Although slightly miserable, Cecilia still managed to find the courage to focus on her task at hand her egg; the answers to her second task.

She was in the girl's bathroom. "It's best you try putting in the water," moaning- Myrtle whaled.

Nothing happened and when Cecilia redressed and was strolling down the halls she stopped on hearing voices.

"You know, Dumbledore is a trusting man," the supposed Mad-eye Moody sneered. "But, I know, Snape. I know that not all spots come off. You understand don't you?"

Snape didn't utter a word.

"Potter!" the imposter shouted. "Come out!"

How did he know? She was hidden well? To well that no one was able to see through the cloaking-technique?!

Cecilia gulped when Snape's black, dark occluded eyes landed on her through the darkness. He was ticked! "Potter!" he bellowed." Fifty points for being out! Get back to your dorm!"

Cecilia didn't argue and jet, but she didn't miss... "How kind of you, Severus…. But, spots still can't be changed."

Cecilia missed Severus threating growl as he headed back to his quarters.

Elsewhere, Rita Skeeter sneezed several times, before tripping landing ungratefully on her bottom. Something crack and when she got up it was her small little mirror by her desk.

Bad omen… Rita laughed awkwardly. "I always needed to get a new mirror."

Little did she know that it was a warning; a warning to stop reporting her current targets.

N'Cut! Sadly guys, I can't read the books anymore on the website I was using. SO, I'm using what I know, wiki, and chapter summary sites which is pretty much the same as using what I know –XD! Anyways, at least I manage to up-date, right? Next time: the second task, etc. Until I up-date again…

I'm out!

Preview:

The second task was upon them, but Cecilia just couldn't use it. Not yet, anyways...Not until the end of it.