I do not own Harry Potter.

June 09

SPA

Part 1

Professor Hooch was on maternity leave by December of Harry Potter's forth year. Professor Dumbledore had arranged for a temporary replacement, due to arrive around Christmas time. However hardly anyone expected the celebrations of the Yule Ball to be interrupted by the new member of staff, who had clearly arrived by broomstick, her face cold with the evening air.

Professor Snape had seen her flying towards the castle and followed her, he was stood behind her and looked at the headmaster questioningly, as he smiled at her, possibly because she was already dressed for the occasion, in a light green dress with silver straps.

"Welcome, Professor Hargreaves. You're just in time for the dance," said Professor Dumbledore.

Professor Hargreaves was a long, dark, brown, haired woman, with youthful features. She turned to put her broom in the nearest broom-cupboard, only to almost hit Professor Snape.

"Oh I'm so sorry," she said.

"My own fault. I thought you were some kind of intruder," he said.

"Oh. Sorry, didn't mean to cause a hassle," she added.

"Don't concern yourself, Madame..." he began.

"Jane," she added.

Jane did not expect such a polite shake of the hand or a proper introduction.

"Pleasure, I'm Severus Snape," he said.

She smiled at him, he led her to the broom cupboard and then took her back to the dance. Snape had never wanted to dance before, it wasn't his idea of a good time, too many people and he would be judged so easily. No, he wasn't going to. She could be as pretty and charming as she liked, he wasn't going to give in to any of that kind of social conformity.

Jane was quite different, she refused a dance from no one. Snape rolled his eyes as older male pupils couldn't take their eyes off her. They were all going to want a flying NEWT level or OWL. It was probably for the best that she only took first years.

The end of the evening came and all Professors made sure that pupils all went straight to bed. Once that was done, Jane got her wand ready and went to help clean up with the rest of the staff.

"Jane, please, you must be..." began Professor Dumbledore.

"No, no, I'm fine really, it's part of the job description," she argued.

Snape raised an eyebrow. Personally he wouldn't have needed telling twice, Jane was far too eager and too pleasant. Her popularity was very high and she had only been present for one evening and not one person had a bad thing to say about her, not even he could fault her really.

That was until there was a little accident involving Mrs. Norris as some coloured decorations fell at Jane's wand. Snape turned as he heard the angry cat and saw Jane wince until she smiled slightly, Mrs. Norris was a very interesting colour of light blue. A slight laugh escaped her and she managed to pick up the cat, Snape expected at any moment for it to retaliate but even the cat liked her.

"You don't by any chance know who I have to apologize to do you? Though personally I'd love a cat this colour," she said.

Snape smirked and shook his head. He dreaded to think how she would react to Filch, going insane over what she had done to his cat.

"You don't have to. Come with me," he said.

Professor McGonagall saw them both leave, she was about to address her concerns, as she turned to the old headmaster, who smiled at her.

"Isn't it nice when everybody plays nicely?" He asked.

"Not too nicely, I hope," she added.

Professor Dumbledore chuckled slightly in amazement.

"You have a dirty mind Professor McGonagall," he said.

"More like a practical one. Your eyes were all over the place today, you saw how everyone took to her. Where did you find her?" She asked.

"You mean you don't recognize her? Hardly surprising, she has changed a lot since her brief Hogwarts days. Far too good at Quiddich, I couldn't keep her here, she was an instant success. She's had to change everything about herself to escape being recognized," he replied.

"Who was she?" She asked.

"She was Jane Owen, wealthy family, the best broom at the time and she knew what she was doing. International stardom before she could have graduated," he replied.

"She has no qualifications?" Asked Professor McGonagall, in shock.

The old man chuckled and shook his head and the deputy headmistress looked, if possible even more confused than she already had been.

"That girl has had her head screwed on, she did both. She wrote to me to ask if I could arrange something for her. I was shocked at first, I've seen it so many times before, but I think she knew she couldn't have fame and fortune all her life," he replied.

Meanwhile, in the potions office. Jane was passed a potion to give Mrs. Norris, Snape wasn't a vet and refused to go near a cat, that had scratched him multiple times, not helped by him giving it the occasional kick, when she got in his way during night duty.

Mrs. Norris returned to normal and Jane picked her up and shut her outside the potions office, still looking rather guilty about the whole thing.

"I'm guessing her owner isn't someone to be messed with?" She asked.

"You should ask the students about Mr. Filch, I'm sure they would be more than willing," he replied.

"Can't be any worse than the last one," she added.

Snape frowned in confusion.

"You came here?" He asked.

"Until before my OWLs, two years before I'll admit. I was one of the Quiddich prodigies of Hogwarts," she replied.

"I haven't seen your name on anything," he said.

"Good, that is the idea," she said.

Snape narrowed his eyes, he had become very suspicious of teachers he knew little about over the years, Jane looked at him, her blue eyes, begging him silently to ask her.

"Who are you really?" He asked.

Jane smiled and took him to the trophy room. To his surprise she was looking at around his own days at Hogwarts, he had assumed her younger. She pointed at one cup and a moving picture, to make him feel if anything more confused, he noticed Slytherin Quiddich robes.

"Jane Owens," she replied.

"Really?" He asked.

Jane nodded. Snape like many others his age would remember her and her story, then how she rather suddenly retired and did nothing more, in fact she disappeared all-together.

"Why did you...?" he began.

"I was almost blind in one eye, from the amount of camera flashes, I had more than enough money to retire at an early age and enjoy myself. It was nice for a while, but luckily, before I did anything rash, Professor Dumbledore contacted me," she replied.

Snape smirked, he made the same misjudgement as Professor McGonagall.

"You haven't got a single OWL or NEWT have you?" He asked.

"All OWLs and NEWT in potions, defense against the dark arts, charms and herbology, actually," she replied, smirking back.

"My, my, haven't you been busy?" He asked mockingly.

Jane chuckled darkly.

"Obviously, I'd appreciate some discretion over my true identity," she said.

"Is that so?" He asked.

"I'd rather not be bombarded with requests from parents for autographs," she replied.

"You have a high opinion of yourself," he accused.

"It's called caution, can I trust you or not?" She asked.

Snape paused for a moment, he did it on purpose to attempt to unnerve her. Little Miss Perfect had no doubt more than one skeleton in the closet, as far as he was concerned, but she did not rush him or change her expression.

"Very well, keep your secret," he said.

"Thank you," said Jane.

Snape still didn't trust her. She was polite, she was honest, with him anyway, she was well spoken, she was clearly quite intelligent and she was a Slytherin. There had to be something wrong with her, he had to find out. For one thing where had the name 'Hargreaves' come from? Was she married? Divorced? Widowed? There were many things that concerned him about her, especially as dark times were ahead and an old class-mate had come from nowhere.

"Would you like me to show you to your quarters?" He asked.

"No thank you, I was there once before," she replied.

"How so?" He asked.

"Our old flying teacher, she made very sure before my last match here, that I was well rested, after many hours on the pitch," she replied.

Too perfect, he thought. Even as a student. There had to be something, something dark, something well-hidden. He was reminded strongly of how Lucius got on with the minister of magic, he couldn't fault him, but mainly because of this, Snape knew there was no such thing, especially from a Slytherin, who were only nice when they had to be, to get something. So what did Jane Hargreaves want?