If you were one of my original readers when I began writing the JC books…you may recall that in the second series I had originally written a daughter for Percy and Penelope, and later wrote her back out again, writing up an A/N apology, because as it turned out I simply didn't think I would have the time in series three to explore the character the way I wanted to. There was way too much going on then, and Leanna never took place. So, Percy and Penelope bided their time, had two daughters at a later than planned date, and now I'm glad that happened in more ways then one; to give the character ideas due justice, and also because I think it works a lot better with this generation of students. I always did prefer variety in my cooking; a little spice, a little sass, and with all due respect, a bit of 'what the heck was that I just bit into?' Enjoy. JCWriter.
Chapter Four
Second Wave
As excited as Ambrose was about school when he met Lucky in the courtyard, Lucky seemed far from it. It hadn't improved her mood when the Professor had 'suggested' that reading the first few chapters of each book for the last two weeks of her summer reading would be a good idea. After glancing over them, furrowing her brow at them and getting headaches even trying to comprehend it, Lucky began doing all her reading before bed…it was good sleeping material. But Ambrose took it all in stride, not offering one word of complaint but sympathizing with others to the point that Lucky couldn't help but wonder if the young boy guessed the reason behind the change behind the books.
The staff was still gathering at their table when they arrived, many standing near their seats and chatting with one another. The Headmaster was too busy talking to Professor Weasley to notice when Lucky came in, but when Jennifer came in the back door a minute later, she gave the give a wave and a warm smile before stepping over to Severus herself and touching him on the shoulder.
"John wanted me to let you know that Ick is still locked up in the Divination tower and still refuses to talk to anyone," Jennifer murmured to him.
"I'll send Zacchius up right after the ceremony," Severus said in a low voice.
"Oh, is he here now?" Jennifer asked.
"Preoccupying Peeves at the moment," Severus said with a nod.
"I should have guessed," Jennifer said with an amused grin, taking her seat to Severus' left and greeting Pomona, who was sitting on her other side.
"So whom should we be watching for today, Jennifer?" the old Herbology professor asked, and Jennifer could plainly see from her eyes what she was talking to.
"There are three," Jennifer answered in a low voice, trying to keep it between them, but on the other side of Pomona, Zed was creeping closer. "Balmweed's granddaughter, Pimra Glass, and the Coventry twins, Michael and Donald. Next year we'll have the twin's younger sister as well as Carey Bishop's daughter coming in."
"That's quite a crowd," Pomona agreed in a whisper. "In fact, it's been awhile since we've had so many from the board."
"Not since Alex was in school…OW!" Jennifer jumped up suddenly and rubbed her side, having been poked quite painfully despite the fact that Severus was looking forward with his hands cupped in front of him as if he hadn't moved. Seeing that most of the student body was looking at her curiously, Jennifer quickly sat down.
"Every student getting Sorted deserves the same level of attention, regardless of who their parents are," Severus said in a calm, low voice, clear enough that everyone on the main staff heard.
"Were ours treated with the same level of attention?" Jennifer retorted. Severus wisely chose not to answer, gesturing to Hermione to begin.
Despite Severus' warning, he wasn't a bit surprised when everyone sat up a little higher in their seats on both sides of them when the Coventry boys were called. First Donald than Michael was called into "Slytherin!" with a smattering of applause, and Jennifer nodded to herself. The Coventry family was a prestigious family; old money, proud, and yet respected by everyone. The only other house they might have fit in was probably her own, but she couldn't help but think they would probably benefit greatly from Danyelle's advisory over hers. Her mind wandered a minute, clapping on cue, until she heard Hermione call the next name she was waiting for. Pimra Glass stepped up to the stool, as cool as a cucumber and as relaxed as someone who had been born for that moment.
"Ravenclaw!" the Hat declared, and Jennifer clapped and gave her a smile reserved for the incoming Ravenclaws.
"No surprises today, nearly every Balmweed and Glass I've known has been in Ravenclaw," Pomona said approvingly. Now that those where done, Jennifer found herself scanning the students remaining to see if there were any other she recognized. There were quite a few; offspring of one student or another she had had over the years…many of which tended to follow the way of their parents as far as houses were concerned. In fact, it had become so predictable that she began to focus in on those she didn't recognize or who had Muggle parents where at least she could get one wrong every once in awhile as she mentally sorted them in her head as they stepped up. Soon there was only a handful left, and Jennifer found herself smiling at the tall girl with the blonde hair and light freckles standing towards the back, not giving a second thought to her house, wondering rather if there was going to be anything palatable to eat even as Hermione called her up.
"Helena Weasley," Hermione said, the girl smiling privately to her aunt as she took the stool. But as the Hat left Hermione's fingers it suddenly furrowed its brow-like folds.
"Slytherin!" the Hat said.
The noise in the room was suddenly subdued with only a smattering of applause from the tables, while at the Headmaster's table nearly everyone stared at her with dropped jaws. Severus forced himself to recover, promptly nudging Danny on the other side of Hermione's empty seat who finally started clapping, followed more slowly by the rest of the staff.
"Isn't that one of Percy and Penny's? Their other one is a Gryffindor, right?" Pomona asked Jennifer.
"Yeah," Jennifer nodded thoughtfully, watching in disbelief as the girl headed over to the Slytherin table.
Hermione hadn't moved from where she had stood, apparently having a word with the Hat, who gave her a brief answer in kind.
"That girl's going to have a rough time this year, both at home and from her housemates," Pomona said, and Jennifer couldn't help but agree. From the expression on Danny's face, it was obvious the thought had occurred to her as well. Hermione came up to the table then, her face still as white as a sheet as she sat the Hat down and took there place.
"I say, isn't there going to be a single year under your esteemed administration where someone is going to question me about where I put a student?" the Hat huffed. Hermione cleared her throat.
"Don't count on it," Severus said, unceremoniously waving the feast to begin.
"I can't believe it, our own flesh and blood falling to the enemy," Reggie said with disbelief. It was the first words uttered from any of the three Weasleys at the Gryffindor table since the feast had started. Tim quickly put a comforting arm around Constance, who looked positively miserable. "What's Dad going to say? What's Uncle Percy going to say? And I wouldn't be surprised if grandfather had a heart attack over this one."
"Please stop, Reggie," Connie said angrily. "She's not your sister."
"Yeah, drop it, Reggie, it's not the end of the world," Tim said in some attempt to comfort the girl next to him.
"Tim, hell just froze over. It is the end of the world," Reggie said firmly, glancing over at the table. "Look at her. They have Lena at the farthest end of the table…if there were one more student sorted into Slytherin, she'd be falling out of her seat."
"It's true, they're not likely to be friendly to a Weasley over there," Tim admitted, but then immediately regretted it when Connie started to sob.
"'Ey, 'ey, 'ey!" Lucky broke in, frowning at Tim and reaching over to touch the girl's hand. "Come on, get a grip! She ain't in juvie or sentenced to the Tower or somethin' she's just over at the next table! So what, it's just another house."
"No House at Hogwarts is just a house, Lucky," Connie snapped angrily.
"It's alright, Connie, don't take it out on Lucky, she doesn't understand is all," Tim said.
"Man, I am sick of people tellin' me I don't understand all the time here," Lucky muttered.
"Then don't comment when it's obvious that you don't!" Connie snapped at her.
"I was just tryin' to help!" Lucky protested. Just then, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Professor Weasley standing there.
"Good evening, everyone," Hermione said with a thin smile. "Mind keeping it down a bit? I'd like to think we can handle this minor upset with as much dignity as possible."
"This is not minor," Reggie protested.
"It's also not going to cause the school to come tumbling down," Hermione said firmly.
"No, but the Burrow might," Reggie retorted.
"I will stop by the Burrow and Percy's on the way home tonight," Hermione said in a low voice. "Connie, would you mind having breakfast with me in my office tomorrow morning?" Sniffling a bit but obviously calmer, Connie nodded. "Good, then let's just finish dinner, all right? I'll be up with your schedules in a bit."
"Yes, Professor," Tim said, watching as she went back up to the table. The moment she sat down, Jennifer leaned back to look around the Headmaster and said something to her. Soon Professor Weasley was doing the same thing, both of them ignoring the irritable, disapproving look on the Headmaster's face when the did so. Finally he said something that Tim couldn't make out and the two women immediately sat back up and turned attention to their plates. Reluctantly, the students did the same, even though Connie seemed to pick at her food rather than actually eat it.
After awhile, the Headmaster and several of the professors stood up and broke off into groups, and Headboy Terrence Gable at the Hufflepuff table stood a couple minutes later.
"There we are," Tim said, getting up himself and nodding to Kay, the other Gryffindor prefect. "Let's get upstairs and get settled. From what I've seen so far from the books this year we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
"I'll grab the first years," she volunteered, heading over to the end of the table.
"Good, let's walk together then," Tim said, "Come on."
Lucky got up as well, straggling along behind the Weasleys as they walked to the main stairwell. Suddenly she heard someone running behind them and looked up to see a very excited Ambrose dashing to meet them.
"Wow! Wasn't that brilliant? A Weasley Slytherin of all things! Who'd have thought that would ever happen? She always seemed nice, too, you know, not a jerk or anything…" Ambrose began, but then yelped and dove behind Lucky when Connie took a swing at him. Tim and Reggie quickly pulled her back.
"Stop, Constance, he's just a kid!" Tim scolded her.
"If he's old enough to go to Hogwarts, he's old enough to learn when to shut his trap! Ambrose, you say anything about my sister again, and so help me I'll curse you, I don't care who your godfather is!" Connie said angrily.
"What! I just said your sister was nice!" Ambrose flailed. Lucky pulled him back a little further.
"What are you doing here, anyhow, you should be on your way to the Hufflepuff rooms. Terrence will be looking for you," Tim said.
"I just wanted a word with Lucky, sheesh!" Ambrose sighed.
"Very well then, we'll meet you upstairs in a moment, Lucky," Tim said. Reggie looked as if he wanted to say something as well, but Tim turned him around and the three of them headed up the stairs.
"Sorry, they seem to be very testy about that Slytherin junk," Lucky said with a shrug.
"Yeah, I knew they would be," Ambrose grinned. "But I wanna know why it put her in there! There's gotta be some reason!"
"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about, chico?" Lucky asked impatiently.
"Hm? Oh, no, I was just gonna ask if you want to get together after breakfast to compare schedules this year. Especially if I make the Quidditch team…" Ambrose said but stopped when he saw the look on her face. "What?"
"Ambrose, you really think the Professor is going to let an eight year old try out for the team? Wake up an' smell the coffee, there's no way he'd let you do it."
"I tried out last year," Ambrose said defiantly.
"Yeah, when everybody thought you were Bill. Forget it, it's not gonna happen, it'd be too dangerous," Lucky said. "This isn't about brains this time. It's about the fact that the rest of your team has got twelve inches on you."
"Then I'll just have to be fast enough to make Seeker," Ambrose said. "See you tomorrow!"
"Ya," Lucky said, shaking her head as he ran up the stairs ahead of her. As she got closer to the Gryffindor tower she picked up the pace, wondering if nearly everyone had gotten in by now. She groaned, realizing she had forgotten to ask the password…but apparently she didn't need it. When she arrived the door was wide open, and she could hear a commotion on the other side. As she walked into the common room, she stopped short just as many of her other housemates had, for the painting of Godric Gryffindor had fallen into dark, boiling, clouds.
"Nobody get too close!" Tim warned the students, crowding around to take a look at it. "Someone go see if Professor Weasley is on her way here!"
Everyone turned to look at Lucky, who was nearest the door. Lucky darted back out to the stairwell, leaning dangerously over the side to see who was on the steps and finally saw two professors casually chatting near the bottom.
"Professor Weasley!" Lucky bellowed out, causing Hermione and Jennifer to peer up startled. "Something's wrong with one of the paintings!" Lucky hesitated then, wondering how silly that sounded. But instead of scolding her as she half expected, the two professors immediately reacted; Jennifer practically launching herself up the stairs while Hermione did her best to follow.
"Where, Lucky?" Jennifer asked as she neared the landing. "And don't lean over the side like that!"
"In our common room," Lucky explained, and Jennifer quickly past the girl and went inside, parting the students to stare at the painting. She stared thoughtfully at it a moment, oblivious to the students standing around her, waiting. But after a moment, she ran back out the door again without a word. The students all began to talk at once and Lucky stood there puzzled until a hand gently nudged her aside as Professor Weasley entered the room, only giving the painting a glance before quieting them.
"Tim and Kay, take a couple more students with you and check all the dorm rooms, make sure there isn't any more paintings in the tower that look like this," Weasley said. "Can everyone but first years sit down, please? Don't worry about the painting," she added calmly, pulling out the schedules and handing them out. "All right, sit back down please. Second years?"
Lucky was still standing by the door when she started passing theirs out, more curious about the painting than what her schedule was like now. She saw movement as Tim and Reggie came back down, Kay and Martha not far behind.
"Our rooms seem normal, Professor," Tim reported.
"Ours too," Kay agreed.
"Good, then please show the first years up. Once you get your schedules, please make your way to your dorms for the evening. Miss Snape?" Lucky quickly brought her attention back to the professor, taking your schedule. "I had to stick you in Transfiguration with Ravenclaw-Slytherin to get you in your Arithmantics II course, I'm afraid. But next year everyone has some electives so I'll doubt you'll get stuck as the only Gryffindor again."
"No problem, Professor," Lucky said. It wasn't as if she was even worried about it. She really hadn't hit it off with her housemates, although the Weasley kids were tolerable. She frowned at the list, realizing the only class she had with Hufflepuff was a double Potions, and that one was first thing in the morning. Well, at least she wouldn't have any trouble finding Ambrose tomorrow, she mused, wondering what he'd think of all of this. Belatedly she remembered she was supposed to go up to her room, but the professor was too busy still giving out schedules to really notice. She had in fact gotten up to fourth years, and the room was starting to clear out a bit. But just as Lucky finally tried to make her way to her dorm, the Headmaster swept in with Mr. Carnegie on his heals, and her curiosity kept her from actually following through.
Considering that several of the fourth year girls had stopped on the stairs ahead of her to gaze at the caretaker, it was easy enough for her to get away with it. Despite a plague of freckles that masked his face and arms, the young man's lithe, tone physique and untamable golden hair was enough to cause a traffic jam of female students wherever he happened to be working at in the castle; especially on the occasions he was wearing his tight black shirt and pants as opposed to his robes. He also wore a pair of black leather gloves that he never seemed to take off; further adding to the mystique as the girls made guesses about his marital status.
"Ah, there you are, Headmaster Snape," Hermione said, finishing the fourth year and then started dividing the rest up for Tim and Kay to hand out.
"I've been busy," Severus murmured in a low voice, shaking his head at the painting. "This one will have to come down as well, Carnegie…tonight if possible."
"As well?" Hermione asked.
"I'll go ahead and do it now, then, sir," John said, pulling out a piece of cloth from his pocket. A few shakes later, the tarp was nearly the length of the room.
"Painting of Dame Rachel in the library and one of the lake in the Hufflepuff rooms of all things," Severus said.
"Well we can guess how old the Rachel one is, how old is the other?" Hermione asked.
"I have no idea," Severus admitted, and Hermione.
"If it's listed in a book somewhere, I'll find out. I'd like to know for certain if age has anything to do with it," Hermione said. Severus nodded to her, but felt uneasy as he thought of the all the paintings in the castle that would be as old as the ones he knew to have been damaged.
Suddenly Severus blinked and ran down the stairs, his destination firmly in mind from the moment he touched the first step until he came off the landing to the second floor a few steps later. He took great strides then to reach the Trophy Room, stepping in to look over the doorway.
Severus allowed himself a sigh of relief when he saw the portrait of Caprica Dusthorn still there, still sleeping. A moment later he saw movement and looked down to see Jennifer in the hall, peering at him quizzically.
"She's fine," he said in a low voice, his eyes darting over all the other paintings in the room to make sure they were all in tact before stepping into the hall. "Have you found any more? The ones in the entry hall?"
"All four of them were fine," Jennifer assured them.
"Slytherin rooms?"
"Went down there right after I got done at Hufflepuff…they were in a meeting but Danyelle checked and all of them were fine. Is there even a portrait of him in there?"
"Statues, except one small one of him as a boy…probably the only one safe to put up. Come to think of it, it would probably be one of the very oldest portraits here."
"If so, then they're definitely not going in order of age. Dame Rachel's portrait was done while she was in the castle, I'm quite sure of that," Jennifer said. Severus pondered it for a moment.
"I believe I am going to move Dusthorn as a precaution, either way," he said, stepping back into the room.
"You're going to wake her," Jennifer warned.
"Hopefully not, but if so, we'll just have to deal with it. If this painting falls victim to what's going on, the rest of security will certainly follow. We'll have lost the war before we even know where the battlefront lies," Severus said, taking out his wand and carefully levitating it down. Jennifer immediately offered up her cloak to cover it.
As they left the room, neither noticed a figure in one of the paintings in the Trophy Room watching them closely until they were out of view. The figure then leaned on the edge of the frame, lost in thought as the students, ghosts, and paintings near him played cards, oblivious to what was going on. After a moment, the figure walked out of the frame.
Severus got the portrait to the Headmaster's Study as quickly as he dared without stirring her, hanging her on the wall still covered.
"I'm not sure that she's actually safer in here, but it'll put my mind at ease if I know the moment there's a change," Severus said.
"You won't if you leave my cloak on her like that," Jennifer said teasingly.
"I'd rather keep it on for the evening in case she was stirred by the move," Severus said.
"I'll go grab a drape out of our room then," Jennifer offered, slipping behind the curtain a moment and coming back out with a cloth. Carefully the two of them replaced it without uncovering the main portrait, stepping back to listen for Caprica's snore among all the others. "All right, Severus, so now what do we do?"
Severus pondered it a moment, still staring at the covered portrait.
"I have no idea," he admitted. Jennifer felt a chill down her back.
"Since when are you ever out of ideas?" Jennifer asked.
"This is hardly my area of expertise. You are the items expert," Severus pointed out.
"Well, from an items point of view, I've run every test I know and they've all come out normal. Are you certain it's not some sort of ancient spell, Severus?"
"Not any that I know of…and before you suggest it, I am not asking Merlin."
"No, Severus of course not. Besides, paintings of a profound nature are hardly his specialty either," Jennifer said in such a way that Severus gave her a dirty look. "Don't give me that, you've been debating asking Pyther yourself, I can see that quite plainly."
"Asking Francis Pyther to come here is the last thing I want to do right now, you know that," Severus murmured.
"From a personal standpoint, yes, but we're in the Study," Jennifer pointed out. "Should we wait any longer, Headmaster?"
Severus sighed.
"Get him here as soon as possible," Severus said at last, unlocking one of his desk drawers. "And I need you personally to go, since you'll be able to read him. It'll need to be handled with subtlety."
"That much is certain," Jennifer agreed as he handed her a key and glanced at his watch.
"Just after eight here, what time is it there?" he pondered.
"It should be late enough in the year that shouldn't matter much," Jennifer said.
"I assume you know where you're going," Severus said in an almost disapproving tone.
"Yes, I've had the address Rosmerta gave me for a while now…hopefully that'll be enough, they use odd degrees directions there. If I take the Iceland jump I should be able to get there in two port stations."
"Well, just get it done and get back as quickly as possible. You have an early class tomorrow," he frowned. "With him, preferably, without him if necessary…but if you come without him, it had better be for more than just his fear of me. If it comes to that, tell him if he doesn't come, I'm likely to go after him myself."
"Yes, that'd be subtle," Jennifer said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before hurrying out of the Study.