"I need to quit my job." Dumbledore looked up from his notes, very confused. The young woman before him looked his straight into the eyes, something she rarely ever did. "Excuse me?" "I need to quit.", she repeated. He gestured her to have a seat. Reluctantly she did as she was told. "And why would that be? You always loved your job, did you not?" She silently nodded and rolled up her left sleeve, revealing pale skin and The Dark Mark. "Jade, we have already talked about this." the professor reminded her impatiently. "Yes, we have. But now I have to leave London. Great Britain. I need to get out." "What happened? Did you kill anyone?" "No. It's just- No! It's none of your business! I just need to leave, full stop. I need to quit my job of which you're hereby informed. You can have a formal note of termination if you want. I'll deliver it first thing tomorrow. And then you'll have to let me go. In a week it'll be like I've never been here." "You can't leave just like that." "I don't see a problem!", she hissed back. Like a wounded animal, scared into a corner, no way out. "I won't find anyone else in the middle of a school year.", Dumbledore explained. "You can't leave, I cannot let you go." "Then I'll run. But don't you worry. I have talked to Hagrid, he could take up my job for the rest of the semester." "Hagrid? He's way too young and inexperienced!" "He knows everything that there is to know about the creatures in the forest. You can still find 'a proper teacher', but for now you'd have at least someone." Dumbledore sighed and gave a sad look. She loved her job. She loved London. She despised of being a Death Eater and tried to keep her casualties as low as possible. She'd done a great job not to kill anyone in the past two years.
"When will you be leaving?" "As soon as you dismiss me." her voice sounded sad and heavy from fear. Whatever had happened, it surely would get her killed if she stayed only one moment longer. "The you are dismissed." "Really?" Jade jumped up, excitement in her eyes, as if this was just another adventure she'd have. "Yes. Pack your stuff and leave. Don't you dare to get killed!" "Thank you, Sir!" She bowed before him. "I will remember your kindness that once saved my life." And with those words, she left.
Severus Snape had been waiting for her outside the headmaster's office. "He let you go?" "Yes, indeed." He had to hurry to catch up with her again, taking long steps and hurrying down the corridors. "You will not make it. No one ever survived leaving." "There's a first time for everything." "Not for this, Jade. He'll find you, even before you've left Europe." She turned around, facing him. Not meeting his eye, she always carefully avoided looking into people's eyes which tend to drive those around her mad. "I will live. And even if I won't I will at least have some more days on the run than I would have staying." She cocked her head and then sped on, back to her office. There were things to pack and a run to survive. Severus shook his head and headed after her. "You're being stupid. Go and speak to Lucius. He could surely help." "I shall not dare to make a second attempt of negotiating with The Dark Lord. Did you forget what happened the first time I tried? He nearly burnt off the skin on my back." There was no use in trying to convince her and Severus knew that. He liked her and would've loved her to stay. She had helped him a great deal and she often covered him whenever the Dark Lord became suspicious of him hiding something. Still, she would be leaving. "Where are you ging then?" "I'm not stupid. I won't tell you." With the wink of her wand she unlocked her office door. "Goodbye, Severus. Go and see Lucius once in a while. Being alone for all too long just makes you a bitter, cynical old man." "I've never had many friends and those I had are either dead or will be quite soon." "Except for Lucius, so don't you forget him. Visit him every now and then, play with his son, it's a cute young boy."
"You will die." "I know." her voice trembled and she did her best to hold back tears. "Goodbye." her voice broke. "Farewell, Jadyn. I hope we never have to meet again." For it would only happen if they find you. "So long, Severus." The door closed.
By the time night fell, she was gone. Her office was as clean and tidy as if no one had been in there for the past one and a half years at all. When she did not show up for dinner, the students became suspicious. Dumbledore explained that Jadyn O'Hara had left for private reasons. No one asked further questions. In the staffroom word had gone round that she was a 'living dead', meaning that she was doomed to die before the month's end. And Severus knew they were right. The Death Eaters were already looking for her, roaming the streets. Some of them had bets going on how long it would take them to find that runaway. Bellatrix Lestrange had gone for two weeks. Two weeks and then Jadyn would be dead.
Two weeks. Maybe Severus could talk to Dumbledore and persuade him to help her a bit. Fake traces, forged reports and interviews with people who would claim to have seen her, ...
Maybe he could make it three weeks.