Had some extra time. I really appreciate the reviews.
The start of term fell into a comfortable pattern. Each morning Jo would have breakfast with Minerva and Severus in the great hall. After breakfast, she would head to her first-floor office, and she would teach Muggle Studies to either her Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh-year students. She tried to hold office hours every day in the student's off hour so she would be available for their projects. After this, she would usually eat lunch in the Great Hall, peruse the library, and go for a run on the grounds. She found that her favorite trail went right by the lake. If Hagrid were around, she would stop in for tea after. Dinner with Minerva and Severus would follow. She liked her routine, but still wished for something more to do. She cursed herself for finding herself in a rut here of all places just shy of her second month.
She was pretty pleased with herself for assigning them all a semester-long project to research anything they wanted. At the end of the fall term, they were to turn in a research paper, lecture to their peers, and create a proposal for how wizardkind would benefit by incorporating what they had learned in their day to day lives.
So far, only the Ravenclaws had started the project. But she was interested in everything that the students had chosen. She smiled when Fred and George selected fireworks and muggle pranks as their topics, respectively. Percy Weasley was interested in muggle social interactions. She thought to herself that it would likely help him with his career in the Ministry. Other students chose topics like airplanes, medicine, and computers. She was delighted in each of her classes and was quickly becoming known as one of the more fun professors. Each day she would try to bring in a new muggle artifact and describe its purpose to them. She was frustrated when every muggle electronic she attempted to bring in died once it got to the castle. She wanted to show her students the internet, cell phones, smart watches, a car that would parallel park itself. She found that most students came to the class with the idea that Muggles were stupid and was trying to show them that while they had no magic, that they were ingenious at advancing science and technology to make up for each alleged shortcoming.
Her favorite homework assignment had been creating a list of common spells and instruments a witch or wizard might use in their day-to-day and having the students write in how a muggle would approach the same problem that the magical object or spell would solve. Even her more biased students were astounded to find that there was a tool for everything, even if it might not be as fast.
There was not much for her to do yet to accomplish changing the books she knew. Professor Dumbledore was absent from the school frequently to look for Horcruxes, but this went largely unquestioned by the Ministry of Magic and the school, as Fudge was still very dependent on Dumbledore's advice. She decided that much of the year would have to go on like normal. A full-grown mountain troll had to be allowed in for the Trio's friendship to flourish. Harry would have to suspect Professor Snape for him to be on the lookout for any wrongdoing that would push him into conquering Quirrel at the end of the year. He'd need to see the Mirror of Erised. Norbert needed to hatch and be rescued by Charlie, and the children would have to serve their detention in the Forbidden Forest. But she could help in little ways to make the castle's inhabitants more comfortable. She looked at her calendar and noting the date she walked to Professors Snape's office.
It was the early evening just after dinner, and she rapped at his door twice. "Enter." He drawled simply, not even looking up from his markings. "Miss Spinnet, you are early for detention, but if you think that will earn my leniency, you are quite wrong."
"Ah, well, in that case, I am very relieved not to be that student." She smiled at him and plopped herself into a chair by his desk.
"Professor Harper!" He exclaimed in a surprised tone.
"Hi, Professor Snape. I was wondering if I could steal a moment of your - YELCH. What's that?" She asked, pointing to the corner of his desk where some creature, or maybe some parts of a beast, was bottled.
"Bat spleens." He answered bemusedly. "I do not think that you would make an accomplished potions mistress with reactions like that. They are used in the Second Year's Swelling potions tomorrow."
"Oh well, they do look quite disgusting. Actually, a little off topic, I suppose. What would happen if I tried to brew a potion? Could it work?" Jo asked inquisitively with a note of hopefulness in her query. Severus surveyed her for a moment trying to discern why she asked the question. Was it merely pure curiosity?
"Peculiar question. You would be unable because there is always a magical component to potions making. While I inform my students that there is no foolish wand-waving in my class, there comes a point in every potion where the maker's magic is infused into the mixture. The course is more than just a cooking class. If a Muggle picked up a magic wand and attempted on their own, the answer would probably be something accidental... possibly quite violent. Because wands are merely a vehicle, a vessel for what lies inside the person."
Jo looked pensive and nodded, feeling a bit let down. "Of course, that makes sense."
"What prompted you to ask?"
"I don't know, really. Just wanted to be more a part of this world, I suppose. I've planned my lectures for the year. When the Headmaster gets back, I'd like to ask permission for a field trip. There's not too much to do this year on the other front, you know? Guess I should talk to Hagrid or Professor Sprout for more muggle-friendly studies to occupy my time. Potions just seemed the closest to what I did in the muggle world. I worked in a research lab." She answered dejectedly. He surveyed her for a moment, thinking.
"If you would like, you may assist me when I brew potions for the infirmary." The offer looked like it surprised Severus as he said it.
"I would love to! Professor Snape that is very generous-" before she could continue showering him in praise, he cut her off.
"Meet in my office, Friday the 1st at 7 pm. Now, what was the reason you originally came to my office?"
"Oh! Of course. Tomorrow you will be going to the third-floor corridor to run Quirrel off from trying to get in. He's going to let a mountain troll into the castle as a diversion. In the books, you are injured by Fluffy. Not gravely or anything-" She said, seeing Severus' face. "It's mildly important to the plot, so I will need you to act injured, but I don't see any reason why you actually need to get hurt. Can you magic some armor on your leg or something?"
Severus paused and considered this information. "It is odd to hear that with so little emotion. You just told me of a plot of one of the teachers to try and steal the Sorcerer's Stone. That a mountain troll would be let into the castle with hundreds of students and knowledge that a three-headed dog would harm me somehow as if this was a common occurrence."
"Not common, but for me, it's not surprising. Besides, it shouldn't be that surprising to you. I told you in Dumbledore's office that Quirrel would attempt to steal the stone. It needs to happen. It's too important to change."
"You did tell me." Severus acknowledged. "It's just different to hear it now so cavalierly."
"Well, sorry about that. I've never been particularly good with words and like to cut to the chase."
"I shudder to think what house you would be sorted into."
Jo smiled.
"Supposedly Ravenclaw... there was one website written by the author that sorted us muggles." Severus looked incredulous. "It would be pretty neat to try it, but I think with Angus Buchanon's disaster trying to be sorted as a Squib I would rather not try."
Getting back on track, she looked at him thoughtfully. "During the feast, you're going to head Quirrell off and go into the room on the third-floor corridor. Please be careful." As she said this, she put her hand on his and Severus stiffened considerably but did not react otherwise. "Last time the dog injured your leg, and it seemed bad. When you go to the girl's bathroom afterward, fake a limp. Try and fake it for at least a week."
There was a knock at the door to Snape's office. Jo smiled, released his hand, and rose from her chair to leave. "Enjoy your detention, Professor Snape."
To not arise suspicions as to why a teacher would not help catch a mountain troll, Jo decided it was best to skip the Halloween Feast. She passed a group of first-year students goofing off and noticed Draco Malfoy sitting outside working on his homework. She knew that he must be a studious child since his marks were always excellent, if not quite up to Hermione's work. A pair of Gryffindor's knocked into the small blond boy and got ink to spill all over his bag and the homework he had been working on. He looked too shocked to say anything.
"15 points from Gryffindor. No roughhousing in the halls. You two are 6th year's are you not?"
"Yes Professor Harper." They answered demurely.
"To earn 5 points back, please vanish the excess ink on Mr. Malfoys' homework. If you vanish anything he's written, you will serve your detention, recovering it for him. Do you agree?"
The students seemed stunned to be offered a way to earn points back after losing them and eagerly charmed the page so the extra ink was lifted from the page and the inkwell restored. She gave 5 points back to Gryffindor and turned to the young Slytherin.
"5 points to Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy, for being so studious and keeping calm." She smiled at him. Draco looked up at her, stunned. He was used to earning points from Professor Snape, but most other teachers seemed to play favorites with their own house.
"Thank you. Were you in Slytherin Professor Harper?" Draco asked.
She shook her head and smiled. "I was not. I didn't actually go to Hogwarts. I studied in the United States. Why do you ask?"
"It just that most professors stick to awarding points to their houses." He answered, honestly.
"Oh well. I hope that's not the case. I try to be fair about how I hand them out. Keeping a cool head in a trying situation is definitely worthy of points. And I was impressed that you are so dedicated to your coursework on such a nice day. Hopefully, you'll be taking my class when you're offered in a couple of years."
"What class do you teach?"
"Muggle Studies." She supplied.
"I can't take that!" He exclaimed.
"Why on earth not? If more Slytherins did, I would be able to award you all more points."
"Look, it must be different in America, but here, we value our traditions. We don't waste time learning about an inferior species just because they look like us."
She looked at him thoughtfully and pulled a pen from her robe.
"Mr. Malfoy, I am very sorry you feel that way. I think that there is much we can learn from others. For instance, did you know that muggles would think that your quill and inkwell is archaic? They've invented this tool instead. It is disposable; it does not need refilling; it does not spill; it writes just as nicely as a quill. Why don't you take it and try it for a week and then find me in my office? It's on the first floor. If you show me notes from a lecture or homework you've completed in pen, I will award you more points for openness to new ideas. If you hate it, I encourage you to tell me why and convince me that quills are superior. Deal?" She handed Draco a beautiful fountain pen. Draco looked at the pen curiously. His drive to win points for his house and prove himself right was strong. He nodded, "Deal," he said and left.
To avoid the feast, Jo sat in her quarters with Gandhi and Godzilla, curled up on a small couch in front of the fire reading Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger. She was very touched that Professor Snape had offered to let her help with her potion making. She hadn't found that she had made friends with her colleagues as readily as she had hoped. Minerva would always speak to her during mealtimes, but she was very professional and tended to only talk about the school, classes, and now that Quidditch season was approaching, Gryffindor's chances at winning the cup. Hagrid proved a natural friendship to make, but his varying schedule meant that she did not see him very frequently. Though she would not call her relationship with Severus a friendship, they were indeed friendly. She found herself eager to spend more time with him and was worryingly looking at the clock from time to time. Wondering if the feast had been interrupted yet if the troll had cornered Hermione if Severus had stopped Quirrell.
Three hours after the Feast's start she decided to set out into the deserted corridor to the dungeons. She found her way to Severus' office and rapt at the door quietly. She felt a little foolish now that she had gone there. It was well after lessons, and she heard no sound from the other side of the door. She was worried that he might have been hurt. Maybe she should check the infirmary. She turned and began walking in the hall once more. The only sound was her hurried steps as she tried to race to the third floor. In her rush, she found herself absurdly stuck in a trip step on one of the staircases.
She was at a complete loss of what to do. Her foot was thoroughly stuck, and no effort she made to get unstuck freed her. A group of Slytherins approached.
"You there!" She called out to them. "Isn't it after hours? Why are you lot roaming the corridors?"
A haughty 7th year stared at her with disdain. "What's it to you?"
"What's it to me, Professor Harper. And your name?" She corrected.
At this, the boy laughed airly to his friends. "Rowe. Of course. And what an excellent example of Hogwarts Professors you must be to be stuck on a staircase. Is your class so immersive in that filth that you don't even take your wand with you?"
The group of Slytherin's sneered menacingly. Jo spotted a young Draco Malfoy in the group trying to look important and intimidating among his older classmates. Jo retrieved her fake wand and held it up.
"Let's see, that will be 20 points from Slytherin for being out after curfew and another 10 points from Slytherin for lack of respect. Back to your house at once."
A girl mocked her now. "You know, I don't think she can get out. Marcus this could be fun."
For the first time since coming to Hogwarts, Jo felt nervous. She wiggled her foot furiously, trying to free it, but to no avail. In the books, someone always helped Neville or Harry if they got stuck, but she doubted the Slytherins approaching her wanted to help. Trying to sound as stern as possible she tried once more to get them back to their dorms.
"I have already instructed you to go back to your house. Failure to do so will result in 5 points from each of you for every minute you don't follow this direction each."
The sneering 7th-year boy was to her now, and he pushed her so that she fell painfully down on to the stairs, her stuck foot still unmoving, and a crack pierced the quiet as her leg broke. Jo let out a painful cry and dropped her wand, so it fell out of reach. The other Slytherins now looked nervous and uncomfortable, many backing up and beginning to disperse. The antagonistic 7th-year boy, the younger pig-snouted girl, remained. Twenty feet from the action Draco stood with Crabbe and Goyle flanking him. He was apparently torn between leaving and saying something. The other two just stood there, dumbly. The commotion got the attention of Peeves.
"Naughty snakes out of bed. What are the Slyvies up to?" The Peeves let out a roar. "ATTACK ON A TEACHER" and flew through the halls announcing it every few feet."
"Detention Mr. Rowe" She managed to say between steadying breaths. The commotion seems to attract more footsteps. Rowe's wand was pointed at her face when he was blown backward off the staircase with a bolt of red light. The girl next to him, screamed. The Slytherin first year boys stayed motionless.
"What is going on here?" Hissed Severus in a rage. "Miss Newton, explain."
"Umm. We were just going for a walk. We saw Professor Harper stuck and tried to help, but she fell down." She finished lamely.
Snape's black eyes darted around his wand still raised, and Mr. Rowe not stirring.
"You are lying. Take him," he pointed to the lump at the bottom of the stairs "to the hospital wing. You both will serve detention once a week until the end of the term."
"Professor, it was an accident," she protested.
"Every week till the end of next term. NOW GO." He bellowed, and she scampered off, dragging the boy along with her as best she could.
"Professor Snape, I can't get up," Jo said quietly. He hurried to her side and freed her leg. At that moment, Draco finally left his vigil by the wall. He was walking towards her now with his hand held out.
"Professor, your wand." He held the fake wand out to her nervously.
"Were you just watching? Didn't think to summon your head of house or help?" Snape bit at him.
"Professor Snape, that's enough. I already docked points for the group being out past curfew. Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Crabbe, and Mr. Goyle, I'm sure were just unsure what to do. It can be intimidating to know something is wrong, but not know how to help." She accepted the wand from Draco. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. You best be getting back to your house. Don't forget about our deal. I'm looking forward to hearing your insight."
The boys left quickly, not wanting to be around Snape, and she left out a shudder of pain. She had been trying so hard to look unaffected by the situation in front of the children, but tears were threatening to fall now.
"I don't know what you think you were doing walking the halls so late." Snape started to lecture her with venom in his voice.
"Stop." She said forcefully. "It has been a hard night. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Can you fix my leg? It really hurts." At this admission, she began to cry in earnest now. The adrenaline had stopped pulsing through her veins, leaving her with sharp, shooting pains.
Severus looked at her and pointed his wand at her. He conjured a floating magical stretcher beneath her. He levitated it and began walking with her floating back towards the dungeons.
"Where are we going? The infirmary is upstairs?" She asked between sobs.
"My quarters are closer, and I have the potions on hand." When they got to the door of his office, he performed a spell to remove the ward on the door and floated her inside. He grabbed a few vials and then stood before a blank wall and muttered an incantation. A door appeared, and he directed her inside. He lowered the stretcher beside the fireplace and began opening bottles. Jo sat up expectantly.
"Roll your robe up so I can see the fracture." Severus directed her emotionless. Jo did as she was told with silent tears still falling down her cheeks. A huff escaped his lips, and he took a small squat black bottle and unscrewed the topper. Inside was a salve. His long fingers scooped up a sizeable portion of, and he rubbed it carefully on her leg. Immediately the pain subsided. He examined her leg further in a very clinical manner. Jo chastised herself for being grateful that she remembered to shave her legs that morning. Not the time to be vain, she thought.
He stood silently and went back to the table, grabbing three other potions. He busied himself, putting a kettle on the fire as well.
"Drink these in succession." He said, handing her two small vials. She took them readily. "A bone mending potion and a strengthening potion." He said, answering her unasked question.
"Thank you," Jo said, meekly the shock of being attacked was dawning on her now that the physical pain had lessened. Severus nodded.
"I will add a calming draught to the tea." He pointed at the teapot in the fireplace. "You should not have been out so late."
"I know that now. I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't think this would happen. They're kids. I don't understand. This never happened in the books." She added. He looked deep into her eyes, and she stared back unblinking, trusting him. He looked away, poured her tea when the kettle hissed, and added the calming draught.
"Drink this." He directed. "In my experience, Muggle Studies Professors have never been well-respected. Quirrell, before he left for Albania, was the Muggle Studies professor and he was abysmal. The students did not respect him and began to act out. I had hoped that with a new professor, they would not try anything. I will think about ways to keep you safe within the castle. We cannot have you attacked again. It's a miracle they did not realize you are not a witch."
She sipped her tea and did not say anything.
"What were you talking with Malfoy about earlier? What deal?" Snape asked.
She explained about his homework being ruined when the Gryffindor boys bumped him. Told him about the points she gave Malfoy and asking him to join her class and his response. How she thought that he as a brilliant student who didn't need to be marred by bias and bigotry that she felt the way to reach him was intellectual curiosity and frankly bribery with points.
"That is an interesting approach. I doubt the boy would take your class. He is from a very rigid pureblood family who would regard his attendance as nearly blasphemous."
"Just because he won't take the class doesn't mean he can't learn from me. I know him from the books. He has a heart. He just needs some help finding his way."
"Trying to save all the lost causes?" He asked, wryly.
"Of course." She replied, smiling wanly. For a flicker of a moment, emotion swept his eyes, but they quickly turned back to their black, impenetrable state. She sipped more tea and moved her injured leg stiffly. A twinge of pain coursed through her.
"What are you doing, you silly woman? Keep still. You need to give it time to heal." He scolded her gently with no heat in his tone.
"How am I to know how fast magic works." Jo laughed pleasantly and stifled a yawn. "I'm just getting tired. It was late when I went looking for you. How did it go by the way?"
"I headed Quirrell off without any trouble. I wore dragon-hide boots so the bite could not break through. Thank you for that tip." He paused. Thinking. "I think it would be best if you stayed here this evening. I would rather not levitate you through the castle in case someone is out of bed."
With a squish of his wand, the couch by his fireplace was transfigured into a twin bed with a simple black quilt.
He walked over to her spot on the floor, and awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Can I assist you to the bed. You'll be more comfortable." He said stiffly, awkwardly holding out his arm.
Jo smiled at his discomfort, nodded, and held her arms up towards him. "Thank you."
He positioned himself under her and scooped her up easily and gently placed her on the bed.
"Yes. Well. Okay then. I will be in the connected room. Just call out if you need anything."
"Thank you so much, Professor Snape. I am glad that you are okay. I wouldn't fancy being that close to Fluffy." She said, trying to break the tension in the room.
"I am also glad that you will be okay, Professor Harper." He nodded and left the room.