(Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all HP)
It started with a kiss.
Chapter 7. A new Attitude.
Christmas had come and gone for another year, it was back to Hogwarts tomorrow, to try and get through the tail end of the school year and deal with those annoying OWLs.
Jessica sat on her bed late that night, packing her books and robes back into her trunk ready for her trip to Kings cross station in the morning.
Reflecting on her arduous holidays, she knew one thing for sure, she had changed. After her ordeal at the wedding, it was time, time to make a stand, time to grow up and no longer let herself be manipulated by Malaki or anyone else, she now needed to stand up for her true family, her friends.
With a new outlook on life and the determination, she felt she could and would no longer fear Malaki or any of the narrow nasty minded people, even if at times there was a price to pay.
The next Morning Jessica was up early, dragging her trunk downstairs, she said her good-byes to her mother and brother. Malaki was accompanying her to the station, much to Jessica' disgust.
Stepping out the doors, the sun was shinning on this new day, everything was white, crisp, clean and very cold.
Placing her hand on the portkey in Malaki's hand Jessica felt the usual tug, spinning her off to the station.
With a clunk they had arrived in a quiet forecourt just adjacent to the station. Malaki looking rather displeased with her. "Tie that bloody hair back Jessathena" he ordered at her dishevelled locks.
"Good-bye" Jessica merely uttered as she straighten up her clothes, and pushing her hair from her face.
With that she walked away, behind her she heard the distinctive crack as Malaki left her.
Crossing the busy road, pulling her heavy trunk behind her, Jessica looked at the Muggles all busy with their lives unaware of the hate building towards them.
Wandering into active hub of the station, she was in no hurry as she knew she was nearly half an hour early, finding an empty bench she pulled her trunk alongside and sat down.
It wasn't long till familiar faces started walking by her on there way down to platform
9 ¾, following on more and more students, some with parents and some without walked down to the barrier.
Jessica smiled broadly as Lily and Pip came rushing over to her, Lily concerned over all the events she had heard about.
"Are you alright?" Lily questioned looking to the fading bruise under her eye.
"I'm alright" Jessica said as she hugged both Lily and Pip, she was just happy to be back with her friends, "Why did you tell Remus about my eye?".
"I didn't tell Remus anything, I haven't even heard from him these holidays" Lily said, frowning at Jessica.
"He sent me an owl, asking about my eye" she explained as they walked down the stairs, "I thought you must have told him".
"Nope it wasn't me".
Standing near the barrier, the three girls waited for Molly to join them before going through to catch the train.
"Sorry I'm late" Molly apologised, slightly breathless as she reached them, "Mum couldn't find a parking spot".
"Yeh I know" both Lily and Pip said agreeing with Molly, Jessica just looked slightly dumbfounded.
Just as they started to head through the barrier, Remus called out to Jessica.
"You go I'll catch up" she told the others as Remus hurried over to her.
"How are you?, I heard what happened" he asked pulling her aside as Sirius, Peter and James walked passed, Sirius only glancing momentarily at her.
"I'm ok, I told you in my note".
"That's great" he said glimpsing at her eye, "But I meant with you know who".
"What?" Jessica frowned.
"At the wedding" Remus quietly clarified.
"No I know what you mean, but how do you know about all of this stuff?".
"I was with James that day".
Jessica frowned still confused.
"We were talking to Sirius, he was really worried about you".
"Oh was he!" Jessica suddenly snapped, taking hold of her trunk, ready to abandon any further discussion.
"Yes he was Jess" Remus now the one confused.
"He wasn't too worried about me when he told me I fitted right in with them, or that I enjoyed my time with Voldemort" she snarled, as she walked off, slipping through the barrier before Remus could say another word.
Leaving her baggage for the porter to load onto the train, Jessica looked back down the platform as Remus walked up towards her with Sirius, James and Peter in tow as always. Wanting to avoid any confrontation with Remus, or more to the point any contact with Sirius, Jessica hopped into the first opened door and walked through the train till she found Lily and the others in their usual compartment.
Leaving London behind them Hogwarts express quickly made its way out into the frosty country side.
With the sun beginning its descent, curiosity got the better of Molly as the other three flicked through magazines.
"So what's going to happen with you and Sirius?".
Surprised by the question Jessica looked up from the Witch Weekly she was reading, Lily too glanced up, all of them waiting for an answer.
"Nothing is going to happen" Jessica said trying to keep her tone normal. The one thing she didn't tell Lily was the way Sirius had treated her after the Voldemort incident, for some stupid reason, unknown to even her, she didn't want to give Lily a reason to loath him as she did James.
Wanting to leave it at that Jessica went back to her reading.
"Come on" Molly pushed, "After that kiss".
"It was just a kiss nothing more!" Jessica snapped, getting up she grabbed her little bag, "I'm going to get changed".
"Sounds like you hit a sore spot" Pip quietly commented as Jessica forcefully slid the door closed behind her.
Walking towards the back of the train Jessica passed the boys in there compartment, on the way to the girls bathroom, not even daring to look in she moved swiftly, thankfully none of them had noticed her or so she thought.
Having calmed herself and changed into her robes Jessica walked back towards their compartment, her motion coming to a halt as Sirius stood blocking her path. Trying to ignore him Jessica walked right up to him hoping to just pass-by, but that wasn't going to happen.
"Excuse me" she softly uttered, her gaze fixed on the tattered old carpet.
"Jess" Sirius just as softly uttered, he knew the reaction it would cause.
Her heart skipped a dozen beats at the way he said her name, but she quickly recovered as she reminded herself of what he had said to her.
"Please I just want to get passed" she said now looking up at him.
"I wanted to say sorry" he said as he stepped aside giving her the room to squeeze passed him.
Swallowing hard Jessica tried to rein in her racing heart, hearing his sincere apology nearly broke her, but she kept her control and passed him.
"Thank you" she politely said before moving quickly back to her compartment.
Jessica only just sat down as the train pulled into Hogsmeade station, gathering their things together the girls made there way out of the train and started the long walk up the dark station.
Lily pulled out her time table as the four of them slowly plodded along the platform the only light coming from the train carriages and a small lantern on the station.
"Guess what we have first on Monday" Lily teased.
"Not slughorn" Jessica moaned.
"Yep a double" .
"Great just.." Jessica stopped as her legs went from under her. "Oh Shit!" she yelled as she came crashing down hard on her knees.
"That's right Ciappara, on your knees where you belong" a male voice yelled from the far end of the station, behind him Jessica could hear laughs and sniggers.
She slipped and struggled trying to get to her feet, the lanterns went out on the train and on the platform, leaving them all in total darkness.
"Jess.. are you ok?" Lily whispered.
"What's going on?" Pip nervously asked.
"Its alright" Molly reassured, "The Lanterns just went out".
Looking behind her, Jessica could just make out Lily' silhouette in the dark, "I'm ok I just can't get up".
Further down the station voices and laughter could still be heard, other students hurriedly got out of the way.
"Why don't you show yourselves?, you cowards" Lily Hollered.
"Shut your mouth you fuckin mud-blood" Wilkes voice spat.
Jessica fumbled around in her robe grabbing for her wand, but it was Lily that sent the first few stunning spells down towards the voices.
Jessica endeavoured once again to stand on her wobbly legs as curses rained down on them from the far end of the blackened station.
Molly and Pip had moved from behind Lily to taking cover under a shrub near the picket fence.
Lily on the other hand was not about to take cover as she stood trying to return fire, but when the spells eased up, the blackness made it impossible to see.
"Jess, where are you?".
"I'm here", Jessica whispered.
"I can't see you".
Suddenly a red flare lit up the night sky, and once again shots flew up and down the platform, Jessica and Lily were now joined by James, Sirius and several other students, all trying to defend themselves against the gang of Slytherin's.
Remus was back on the train, opening a door near Jessica he pulled her out of the line of fire as she blindly flicked her wand over her head, with a flash of his wand the Jelly leg jinx was removed.
"Thanks Remus" Jessica said cautiously getting to her feet, she then quickly headed out the door joining Lily as they fended off shots.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" McGonagall bellowed, her wand at the ready, bringing the conflict to a swift end.
Standing between the two groups, Professor Slughorn and Professor Flitwick also joined Professor McGonagall.
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves" she snapped. "All of you, up to Professor Dumbledore office Now!".
"Horace you take that lot" McGonagall said pointing over to the group of Slytherin's.
Walking up the station, McGonagall put her wand back in her robe as she approached. "Right get a move on".
"Professor, we were just defending ourselves" Lily informed her.
"That maybe the case Miss Evan that will be up to Professor Dumbledore to decide, now all of you up to the school" she snapped.
Walking out of the station, Lily and Jessica hopped into the first empty carriage, "Thank you Potter for coming to my aid" James smugly said as he, Remus and finally Sirius climbed into the carriage.
"I'm not going to thank you" Lily flat out told him as he sat opposite her, "We certainly didn't need your help".
"Come on Evans" James said as the carriage made its way up to the school, "You have to admit the flare helped you".
"Wow a simple lighting spell" Lily said, "We shouldn't even be in trouble".
"Get used to it" Sirius quietly commented.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked before Jessica could even open her mouth.
"He means, this won't be the last attack by that gang" James informed her.
"Voldemort" Jessica said softly.
"Yes Voldemort, he has instigated all this" Sirius explained as he looked at Jessica, "He wasn't at my stupid cousins wedding for the cocktails, he was there to recruit idiots and stir up more trouble for all of us".
Just the thought of the wedding turned Jessica stomach, to know it was all to promote hate made it all that worse.
"The attack last year, and now this, its only the beginning" James said as he stepped out of the carriage, quickly turning around to lend a hand to Lily.
"I'm fine I can get out myself, I don't need your help,".
"Don't be like that Evans" James pleaded half heartily as he followed her inside.
Walking up the wind blown corridor, they came upon the slytherins waiting outside Dumbledore's office.
"Now I don't want any trouble from either of you" McGonagall ordered as she sternly looked at both groups as they stood opposite each other, before she disappeared up the stairs.
Severus Snape stood next to Avery and Crouch. "What are you doing with this lot?" Lily asked as she glanced over to him.
"Don't talk to him, you trollop" Crouch snarled.
"Hey! shut your mouth" Jessica snapped back at him.
"Don't talk to her like that" Severus calmly told Crouch.
"What you going to defend, that filth?" Wilkes weighed into the conversation.
"No".
"Then shut your mouth Snape".
"Sniverllus" James and Sirius laughed.
"Stop it" Lily pleaded.
McGonagall quickly came back down the stairs, easing the rising tension in the corridor.
"Avery, Crouch, Nott, Wilkes, Snape, Rowle, Rosier and Travers up to the headmasters office.
As they made there way up the stairs, McGonagall turned her attention to the others, "Right, O'grady, Harris, Lupin, Wells and Anderson, you can all go to the great hall"
"But" several of them started to argue.
"Go now, you won't be given a second chance".
No surprise to Jessica it was just the four of them left, her tummy giving a loud grumble.
"Bit hungry?" Lily laughed.
"Starved" Jessica also finding her rumbling amusing.
"Here" Sirius offered her a chocolate frog from his robe pocket.
"No it's alright, thank you" she politely declined his offer.
"Ok" Sirius said putting it back in his pocket.
"Oh wait... alright if you insist" Jessica said changing her mind as her tummy rumbled again.
"Right, hurry up you lot" Professor Slughorn marched the group of Slytherins down the spiral stair from Dumbledore's office, "I hope your months detention teaches you something" his voice fading in the distance as they walked along the corridor.
Ready for what may come, the four of them climbed the stairs, and entered the headmasters office. Professor Dumbledore sat behind his desk, Professor McGonagall standing to his left.
Looking over his half moon glasses at the four students lined up in front of him, he said nothing for the longest time, as he sized up what he was going to say.
"Thank you Minerva" he glanced sideways dismissing a somewhat gobsmacked Professor.
"Albus?"
"I'll take it from here".
Looking slightly miffed McGonagall headed out the door and down the stairs.
"Now I want to hear the truth, not a fancy version of it" Dumbledore flatly told them.
"The attack came from them" Lily firmly stated, Jessica nodding in agreement with Lily's statement, "Wilkes hit Jess with a Jelly leg Jinx".
"Then he called Lily, a err... well a word I can't repeat here" Jessica explained.
"I'm sure I have heard it all before Miss Ciappara" Dumbledore urged her to tell him exactly what was said.
Clearing her throat, Jessica glanced at a nervous looking Lily, "He called Lily a fuckin mud-blood" her words soft and hesitant.
Straightening his glasses Dumbledore tried to show little in the way of emotion but it was clear he wasn't happy at all about what had just been said. Rising up out of his chair, he walked around his desk, looking down at Jessica's knee.
"Hmm and then the fracas began I take it?" Dumbledore asked looking over at James and Sirius.
"Yes sir" James promptly answered.
"And I assume that's when you two decided to step in".
"You assumed correctly.. Sir" James smirked proudly.
"Not that we needed it" Lily added.
Dumbledore walked back around his desk making himself comfortable again in his chair.
"And your current situation?".
Jessica quickly looked over at Dumbledore, thankful he was looking in Sirius' direction.
"Sir?" Sirius questioned.
"You are no longer living at home I understand?".
Moving rather uncomfortably Sirius hesitated, glancing over at Lily and Jessica, "Yes... yes sir that is correct, I'm staying at the Potters for now".
"I believe that was not the only occurrence over the holidays" he now turned his attentions to Jessica. "I have heard that you were not yourself".
Jessica glared over at Sirius, but he looked just as dubious as to how Dumbledore knew so much.
"Yes, but I'm not certain as to what happened" she quietly answered.
"I believe it was an Imperius curse" Sirius added.
"No I don't think it was … I couldn't remember anything after it wore off".
Looking concerned Dumbledore thought for a moment his hand stroking down his long white beard. "Knowing Malaki as we do, I wouldn't put it passed him to use the Imperius curse".
"Now for the other matter" Dumbledore once again got up out of his chair and came around the other side of the desk taking hold of Jessica's hand. "Am I to understand too that Lord Voldemort was also there?"
"Yes Professor" she softly uttered glancing once again over at Sirius.
"What did he say and do, it's imperative you tell me everything?" Dumbledore taking on a more demanding tone.
"He made me kneel before him" Jessica felt more than self-conscious talking about it. "He held my wrist and placed his thumb over my vein".
"Did you feel anything?" Dumbledore asked looking at her wrist, for what Jessica didn't know its not like it left a scar.
"It felt like all the blood in my body was twitching" she uncomfortably answered, she knew it sounded stupid but there was no one way to describe it.
"Did he say anything.. anything at all?" he questioned the frown on his face intensifying.
"Just mumbled something about blood of the descendants" Jessica said looking slightly confused, but Dumbledore didn't seem confused at all about it.
"You didn't tell me that" Lily whispered.
"Was that all?" Dumbledore asked.
"No" Jessica said quietly, "He then told everyone in the room that I had been poisoned by learning about Muggles and mixing with;" she once again hesitated, looking over at her friend.
"Mud-bloods" Dumbledore finished the sentence for her.
Leaning back on his desk Dumbledore reached over grabbing a piece of parchment, "That would explain this".
Pushing his half moon glasses up his nose he glanced over the letter before looking back at all of them, "I received this owl this morning" now looking over his glasses he looked directly at Jessica.
"It would seem your mother and Malaki will not tolerate your participation in Muggle studies, or associating with Muggle born students".
"What ….No, No they can't do that" Jessica said, more than distressed at the situation her family had put her in, "No I'm not, I'm not giving up Muggle studies or my friends!"
"How can they do this?" James asked, for the slightest moment Jessica had forgotten that James or Sirius were in the room with her.
"They can't" Jessica determinedly informed him.
Raising his hands to quiet them Dumbledore screwed up the letter tossing it back over his shoulder, landing it squarely in the bin.
"Its not my place to tell any student who they are friends with, that is totally up to you, as for Muggle studies, I have informed you, but what you chose to do is up to you, and what I don't know about doesn't bother me" Dumbledore said with a mischievous smile.
"Thank you sir" Jessica said gratefully, as she took hold of Lily's hand, no one was going to make her walk away from her friends, regardless of the consequences.
"Now as for this evenings incident" He said looking at Sirius and James, " I think a week of detention should suffice for you both"
"But we...".
Dumbledore stopped James in his tracks "I'd be grateful, I could bring up the incident on the train before Christmas".
"A weeks detention it is then" James said with a smile.
"Lil shh don't.." Jessica tried to warn her friend but it was too late.
"Do you find this amusing?"
Jessica quickly elbowed Lily as she giggled, "No, um no sir".
"Since you seem to find the situation so humorous Miss Evans you can join your house-mates on Detention in the infirmary, I'm sure Madame Pomfrey could do with a hand".
"Oh no Sir I.. I wasn't, I just," Lily stumbled for an excuse, but it was a waste of time and energy.
"Now I believe it is time for a hot cocoa" Dumbledore said as he walked to the door, holding it opened the four of them walked out and down the stairs, Dumbledore following them close behind.
"Where did you disappear to?" James asked Peter Pettigrew as he waited for them at the bottom of the stairs.
"I.. I was there Prongs" he nervously answered.
"Prongs?" Lily whispered to Jess as they moved quickly down the corridor to the great hall.
Jessica shrugged her shoulders, not really sure what it all meant.
"Uhh I'm going to have the week from hell" Lily complained sitting down at the Gryfindor table.
"Don't stress Evans I'll be there to keep you company" James sincerely informed her., Jessica nearly choking on her mouthful of food as she laughed.