Here we go! Chapter 4 of the fic! I hope you all enjoy it like you have the others!
Please, read and review!
Mrs. Jessica Lupin
Jessica Leslie Dumbledore let out a sigh as she scanned the Great Hall, the frightened first years were nothing new but everyone else had truly changed over the summer. The guys had gotten taller while most of the girls had either filled out in breast size, or in stomach size. It didn't truly matter to Jessica; she looked the same as she had in May.
She was still tall for her age, had curly onyx hair and honey colored eyes that darkened to near onyx when she was angry. Though she was still sporting a brace on her left wrist from the little incident with the Ministry official last week; the idiot Auror had insulted her most hated cousin and Jessica had punched him in his face. No one insulted that idiot Nymphadora without her consent.
Aside from the tattoo of the barbed wire around her wrist, nothing else had truly changed about the thirteen year old Slytherin. Shaking her head the young student let out a small sigh as she stared down at the letter in-front of her, Flint was unrelenting in his thirst for the Qudditch and House cup, what with this being his final, final, year at Hogwarts.
All Jessica could do was snicker every time she saw him, what kind of idiot gets held back because he couldn't apparate.
"Look at him, Saint Potter, already soaking up the attention!"
Jessica looked up as her younger cousin's voice cut through the crowd, he was of course sitting beside her but he was glaring across the way at Gryffindor table. Following his line of sight Jessica merely rolled her eyes at the crowd of people around Harry, some whispering to their friends, others were out right prodding him with their wands.
Letting out a grunt the young teenager got to her feet, walking over, "Alright you lot! He isn't on display!"
"Oh come on Jess, its Harry Potter!" It was Katie Bell, a third year Gryffindor who cried this, not surprised when Jessica glared at her.
The crowd dispersed quickly at the sight of Jessica's glare, who turned to Harry giving him an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that! You'd think those losers had never been in public before"
"Thanks! I, I got your letter so thanks for that too" Harry stumbled to his feet, giving Jessica a flushed smile.
"That's quite alright, but whatever you do, do not anger Professor Snape today. He isn't exactly happy you're here"
"What did I do?"
Jessica felt sorry for the poor boy as his face fell; she couldn't tell him that Severus judged him for something his father did. It wouldn't make sense to him, she could barely grasp it. Reaching out the Slytherin patted his shoulder gently, giving him a warm smile.
"It's not you Harry, he…he has a temper. Just lay low; it will get better in a few weeks"
"A temper, is that what we're calling it now?" Fred cried, merely laughing along with George when Jessica cut them a swift glare. They were certainly used to that by now.
"If you don't want your mother to get a letter, describing in graphic detail what really happened to her china, I'd keep my mouth shut Georgina and Frederic!"
The twins gasped dramatically pointing at the now smiling Jessica, their eyes narrowed to near slits. "You wouldn't!"
"I would, and who's to say I haven't?"
Jessica flashed Harry another smile before walking away, a now frantic Fred and George scurrying after her, demanding to know what she had told their mother. And how much they would have to sacrifice to get out of whatever she had told Molly Weasley.
Returning to his seat, Harry was surprised that Ron merely shook his head along with Percy who quickly got up following his brothers and his girlfriend.
"I don't know why she's dating Percy" Ron made an ill face, before returning to his breakfast of eggs and ham.
"Who's dating Percy?" Harry questioned, reaching for his goblet of pumpkin juice, apparently all magical folk drank it.
'Jessica, have for about three months now. He asked her out after her thirteenth birthday. Dumbledore was pleased, or at least I think so"
Ron gave Harry a loose shrug before once again returning to shoving food into his mouth, Harry shuddered as he turned back to his own meal, Percy, and Jessica? There was just no way those two could co-exist; Percy was . . . a prick. . And Jessica seemed far more approachable.
Shaking his head, similar to last night, Harry finished his meal before focusing on what Professor McGonagall was saying.
Jessica let out a small sigh as she bounded down the steps into the dungeons, time to get her class assignments and make her way to first period. With any luck she'd have Potions first block and could just remain in the dungeons for an hour. She was tired and didn't feel like climbing all the way to the third color for Charms, or the sixth floor for her mother's class.
Turning yet another corner Jessica listened with a half-ear to all the conversations going on around her, most were about the students respective summers or the upcoming year but to Jessica they were all boring. She had spent her summer going between Dumbledore Manor and The Burrow, pranking Percy or goofing around with the twins and Dani, a usual summer for her in all fairness.
So wrapped up in her thoughts Jessica let out a small yelp when some shook her shoulder roughly, turning she was surprised to see a fellow student giving her a worried glance.
"Sorry for startling you Jess! I've been following you, trying to get your attention. How was your summer?" Laura Sanderson gave the Slytherin a broad grin, her lavender eyes sparkling with excitement.
"It was fine; I spent most of my time with the twins and Dani. You?" Jessica held back her sigh; she had been hoping to avoid Laura for a couple of weeks.
She didn't hate Laura, not even a little bit but she was a quiet person. She had her friends and wasn't looking to make any new ones, and sometimes it felt as if Laura tried just a little too hard to enter Jessica's very small circle of friends.
'I was traveling with my parents, it was frankly rather boring! I heard on the train that Percy asked you out, are you all dating now?"
"Who in the world told you that?"
Jessica was slightly relieved as they rounded the final corner into the corridor Severus handed out class assignments in, she wanted to get the day started already for the sooner it started, the sooner it was over. She was so incredibly sleepy, it was barely funny.
"I heard some fifth years talking about it, so it's true?" Laura questioned as she stopped in-front of Severus as did Jessica, both waiting for him to retrieve their yearly assignments.
Extending her hand, Jessica took the paper her best friend offered, with a cut nod. "Yes, yes. It's true; it looks like I have Herbology first. See you later"
Jessica walked away from her classmate without a single wave; she really needed to have a talk with Fred and George about Laura. Anything to get the teenager off her back, cutting out of the corridor the young Slytherin disappeared into the crowd, making her escape from the now offended Laura Sanderson.
It only took a few minutes to get out the dungeons, and before she knew it Jessica was stepping back into the Entrance Hall. The thirteen year old was so engrossed in her class assignments that she didn't notice the blonde Ravenclaw sneaking up behind her, a sly grin on her face.
The young girl pounced, knocking Jessica to the ground laughing as the Slytherin let out a small scream as they fell. Letting out a small groan Jessica rolled onto her back as the person who had attacked her laughed.
Letting out yet another groan Jessica merely rolled her eyes, "That. Hurt. Dani!" she cried, attempting to appear offended.
"I'm sure it did, but I wanted you're schedule" Dani, one of Jessica's oldest friends, grinned as she reached out snatching the parchment out the Slytherin's hands.
Jessica busied herself with collecting her books once again as Dani poured over her class-load, the onyx-haired teenager wasn't fazed when her friend squealed loudly, crying loudly over the fact that she and Jessica had four consecutive classes together with the twins.
Both girls quickly picked themselves up, before rushing out the castle; the walk down to the Green-houses was quick and before they knew it the young witches were sliding onto stools in-between Fred and George.
"Oi, you run into your shadow?" Fred questioned glancing in Jessica's direction who let out a loud snort before rolling her eyes.
"I don't dislike Laura, but I don't make friends. You three merely stalked me until I agreed to stop trying to hex you"
Dani let out a snort as she dropped her Herbology textbook onto the workstation in front of them, "You stopped trying to hex us? I couldn't tell"
"Oh, you're hilarious Dans, really, you should do stand up"
Dani, Jessica, Fred and George all broke out into laughter as the rest of their class gravitated towards their seats; Professor Sprout never assigned much on the first day of class so until she arrived they could talk amongst themselves.
"So, Jess, what do you think of our newest classmate, Harry Potter?" George flashed the Slytherin who was sitting beside him a wide grin, it fading when she merely shrugged in response.
"I haven't even talked to him yet, he seems like a normal kid though. Doesn't know what he's in for, trying to take on Draco already"
"Your cousin is fifty percent bad and fifty percent childish Snake, no doubt about it" Fred piped up; he was still paying attention but more so to the plants hanging off the ceiling.
Jessica merely shrugged as she twirled her pen around her fingers; Harry did seem normal, and nervous to boot. It was a known fact that all first years went to Potions on their first day, she only hoped that Severus and Harry wouldn't emerge from the dungeons sporting bruises . . . it was too early in the year for fighting, or detentions.
Lifting her eyes Jessica, along with the rest of her class, opened their journals beginning to take notes as their Herbology teacher had appeared at the head of the classroom and was talking to them. Professor Sprout, like all the other teachers at Hogwarts stopped holding their students hands in the classroom after year one.
After then, you were on your own. Hunkering down, Jessica let out a small sigh as she pushed Harry and Severus from her mind; she had to pay attention what with three double classes this semester, she would be rather busy.
Jessica let out a small sigh as she filed out of the Transfiguration classroom behind Dani; they had split from the twins three classes ago and Jessica was now more than exhausted. The first day back was a killer, she was always the last of her classmates to get back into the swing of things; but it was just so much more draining that usual.
That probably had to do with worrying about Harry all day, knowing Severus he goaded the young Gryffindor and she could tell Harry wouldn't take being picked on lying down. Letting out a small groan the Slytherin was stunned when someone ran into her, knocking her books to the floor.
Merely sighing Jessica was moving to pick up her books when the young, fire-red headed girl let out a small squeak and quickly fell to her knees; the first year Slytherin quickly gathered Jessica's books for her, leaving her own scattered to be stepped on.
Waving her hand Jessica watched as all the books collected themselves, stacking neatly on top of one another, "Your first day seems to be rather hard, no?"
Jessica smiled at the young girl as she got to her feet, her eyes full of tears.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you ma'am!"
Dani, who had been taking a light nap against Jessica's shoulder, tilted her head towards the ground, her eyes wide with shock.
"What. . .what did you just call me?" Jessica whispered her eyes narrowing to near slits.
"Some older Slytherins said you forced all the first years to call you, ma'am. . . And that you hated us. . I...I'm sorry!"
"Oh, tell me you weren't listening to that idiot Marcus Flint?" Jessica groaned softly as Dani promptly fell into giggles, leave it to Marcus to torture the first years; and use her to do it. "Listen, I don't hate first years nor do they have to call me ma'am, it's just Jess"
The trembling first year let out a whimper as she raised her eyes, her amber eyes were round with worry and fear, still full of tears. Jessica offered a warm smile as she laid a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"I'm Momo Spellman; I'm the first Spellman to be a Slytherin. My parents, they weren't entirely thrilled, but they said they still loved me"
Jessica smiled once more as she bent down making her face to face with the first year. "I am sure they do, I'm not a Gryffindor like my parents and they still love me. It's what you do that determines who you are, not the house the Hat placed you in"
Dani and Jessica both offered the girl another smile before watching as she ran down the corridor, her books clutched to her chest.
"So, ma'am, shall we head to the library and start on our homework before dinner?"
Dani let out a mixture of a squeal and laughter as she was shoved to the floor before a glaring Jessica marched down the corridor. Quickly grabbing her bag Dani took off after her friend, yelling for her to wait.
"Oh come on Jess! Wait up, that was funny!"
The students of Hogwarts weren't at all surprised when Jessica Dumbledore and Dani Phelps walked through the corridors of the school, arguing, laughing and then arguing some more about something none of them truly wanted any knowledge of.
It was just another part of normal life at Hogwarts.
Chapter 4 done! I know not a lot of Harry but I am going to alternate between them for a few chapters before they get deeper into the year!
Love Jess~
