Chapter 12
It had to be the time of the year to get visitors because it was beginning to feel to Severus as he rarely got his apartment to himself. If he was not discussing their missions with Dumbledore and Lucius, then he was entertaining Draco. The young lad was no different really to how he had been in the previous years.
He had an idea that every time he came back to Hogwarts, Draco wanted to be just a little more grown up than he had been the time before. Didn't want to ask for help so much...
But he was a child yet.
And so it was to his disappointment that on the first quiet Thursday evening he had got in a while, someone came to call. And to think he had hoped the first of the three terms were going to be relatively quiet, fool that he was.
"Enter," he called. When he was relaxed in the dungeons, he did not often lock the door or activate the pass word. As long as he knew it was only going to be one of the students...
And they were not so deep in the war yet that he needed constant vigilance once more.
"I am so sorry to disturb you, Severus," a feminine voice apologized.
Whoever he had been expecting, it had not been...
"Not at all, Jane. Come in."
He turned to see his friend looking rather shy. Had she come to him this time during the month before he would have understood... Lucius had been in a bad way for quite some time. She had needed help with him and he had naturally been her first choice.
"I hope I am not disturbing you."
"Not at all," he said. "Can I get you some tea?"
"That would be lovely," she said as she sat down.
"How is Lucius now?" he questioned as he drew a tea pot and two mugs. Soon they were on the table.
"Oh yes, he is quite a lot better now," she said but there was a doubt there he hadn't heard in a while. He did not need to be told where it came from for Lucius had come to him – told him what she had said.
Well, it had been the right decision. Matters of the heart should not be taken lightly. Part of him now regretted that he had conspired with Draco to get out of the house that evenings for he knew the two of them had set something off which Lucius was having a difficult time trying to control...
Quite unlike Jane.
"It is a little awkward at home?" he questioned.
"Not really. The two of us are grown ups and we both know it would never have worked," she shook her head as he passed her the tea he had magically brewed. "Thank you."
"You can't know that for sure."
"I know in my heart that I can never love him as a wife should love her husband and so I promise you I can know that the two of us would never have worked out."
"That is a pity – but the right decision."
She should not have to dispose of herself without affection – not when she was still... there was still hope for her.
"I know I am a late bloom – I know I am about a season from withering, Severus. But truly... I want my future husband to see me as a woman primarily – not as a mother to his son," she shrugged.
"I think you are very wise – but I also think you did not come to me today to discussion matters of the heart," said Severus as he grew awkward. No matter who it was, he found he did not do so well at conversations concerning feelings unless it was with Draco. Of course, he and Jane had had plenty of chats in the past. Whenever she felt there had been a problem in the manor he had always been her first port of call.
But he knew she was not too worried over anything that day. It was in her body language.
Rather, she had a request for him.
"I was wondering if you would teach me what you knew about healing, or give me some information about where you learnt your skill. I wish it was not the case but I can't but think it is a skill which is going to serve me well over the next few years."
He nodded; almost surprised that she had come up with such a good idea. Yet, she had always been a rather sensible person if nothing else.
"I will tutor you myself if that is agreeable," He nodded without having to consider it too much. She wanted to learn and it could only improve his patience levels. Besides, he was sure when she did apply herself she was not going to have too much trouble.
She had the right attitude for a healer; he had seen it when she had had to deal with Lucius the other week.
"I am very grateful," she said as she sat back in the chair and smiled at him. "So how is term going?"
"The same way term does always; idiot children turning in stupid essays which do not represent their abilities. If only I felt that some of them put as much effort into the work as I do my lessons I do not think I would be half so... unagreeable as a professor."
"I am sure you would not," she said with only the slightest hint of sincerity in her voice.
The evening turned out to be quite a success and he was glad she had come to see him. Lucius and Jane were the only real friends he had. Jane especially was so black and white he did not have to question her motivations. The friendship she offered was what it was on face value underneath as well.
"Thank you for the tea Severus but I am afraid I am going to have to be going now. Lucius is going to be wanting his supper and no doubt you have to get up to the great hall for dinner as well," she said as she got up. "I really am grateful to you."
"Think nothing of it, Jane. It is a good idea and as much as I hate to admit it, you might be needing such a skill soon. I shall owl you with my first free night by the end of the week and the two of us can get going."
She really was very grateful to him. No doubt the last thing he wanted to be doing in his free time was any more teaching than he already had to do.
"I'll look forward to it."
Making her way out of the castle, she walked the corridor she had known so well just a decade before. She had been happy at Hogwarts. She had not considered it the home that she knew some people did but she had never the less enjoyed her school years.
They had been some good times in spite of the war. She had been about to enter into the court yard to walk away when she heard her named called.
"JANE!"
She turned with a smile on her face, as she always did whenever she heard that voice. "Hello sweetheart."
Draco looked relieved to see her which she had never taken as a good sign. "I don't suppose you have got a spare half an hour do you. I could use a chat," he admitted with a shrug.
"I always have a spare half an hour for you, you know that. Tell you what, I'll stretch it to an hour if you like," he nodded as he fell into step beside her. Lucius could wait.
"Why don't the two of us go and take a turn about the lake? It has been to long since I have done that."
Quite frankly, by the time they had got to the lake Jane was already concerned by what was going on at Hogwarts that year. It was not so much the competition that was worrying her but the Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons.
"Surely what he is doing – Dumbledore wouldn't sanction it! And if he does think that is the right thing for the professor to be doing in the class room then, at last, he really has lost it, dragon."
"You do not have to convince me of that – but, Jane, it was awful to see – and now it is as if I can get it out of my head!"
"It is going to fade in time my love as all bad memories do. I know I do not have to tell you of all people that."
He nodded and paused for a moment. "You know I don't even really remember what Maria looked like now."
"It isn't surprising, sweet. You never looked not her eyes. And it is a blessed relief; she was ugly, outside as well as in."
"I know that is right," he said as he let her put an arm about him and sighed.
"There is something telling me you are not explaining everything to me what's bothering you," she said. "Come on darling, whatever it is-"
"I like someone, ok? And it's a girl and I have only just realised and there is so much else going on but – Jane, I think I really like her. I don't know what to do."
Jane tried very hard to surpress the 'Aww," which had been about to come out her mouth.
"Perhaps the right course of action would be for you to simply tell her you like her. Tell her you like her. I can't tell you what a turn on honesty is for a woman. And it is hard enough being a teenager... don't make it any harder for yourself," She said with a raised eye brow but he shook his head.
"But if I tell her and then she does not like me back-"
"Then she is a foolish girl and she does not deserve you!"
"Then the two of us could not even be friends!" Jane shook her head at his sweetness though it was not unique to him. she was sure all teenagers felt that over their first crush. Draco turned to her. "Did you ever – you know? Who was your first crush?"
"A wizard far too old for me at the time – I am afraid I was a bit of a Mandy!" She said to him with a chuckle.
"What happened to him?"
"The war... the first war."
"Is he dead?"
"No – but he might as well have been for all the life he has had over the past decade. I did not see him often, but my father tried to do business with his." She said. "The point is, that time has gone. And yours has not. Take your time if you wish too... whatever you do, Draco, just make sure it feels right. You'd be surprised by how much simpler things would be for so many more people if we just trusted our hearts first instinct," she said as she ruffled his hair. "Now, I am afraid I am going to have to go or your poor father will starve."
He nodded, and gave her a kiss goodbye. "I'll see you soon Jane..." his brow furrowed. "Jane, did you ever tell him you liked him?"
She laughed as she walked away. Curious boy! "No – I thought about it... but not in the end."
"What stopped you?"
"By the time I was ready too, he had a wife."
XXX
The tension in the great hall that night was tangible. It vibrated. That was going to be the night that the champion was chosen; the champions. While everyone was curious to see the chosen three, it was the Hogwarts champion whose identity people most wanted to know.
They were the host school. They wanted to know which house was going to be representing them. It had to be someone good...
The Ravenclaw table looked to their own seventh and sixth years for hope – if they could represent Hogwarts...
It would be more than many of them had even dreamed.
Yet, by the end of the night it was only too clear to him that that honour was not going to fall to a Ravenclaw. The Goblet of Fire had chosen a Hufflepuff... and a Gryffindor.
The ceremony which had begun so full of hope ended in confusion and anger. There was only one question in the mind of Draco Malfoy though.
How had the name of Harry Potter got into the Goblet of Fire? Had he put it in there? Had it been put in there by someone else?
"Hermione, what the hell is going on?" Draco asked as soon as he could. Just as soon as the champions had left the hall he had run over to the Gryffindor table. He felt eyes on himself, Ron and Hermione.
It was naturally felt in the school if anyone knew what had gone on with Harry then it was his best friends.
Of course, he would have told them what was going on.
But the thing was, he hadn't. That lead Draco to think her had nothing to do with putting his name in that goblet. Anyway, why on earth would he? The troubles Harry had been through had only too often been put upon him, he had – well, he didn't always seek them out. Not always...
Harry was not the trouble maker everyone thought him to be. He was just too often in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Yet he was not stupid. Asides from anything else, he did not think he would want to worry Sirius by putting his name in the cup, and what Sirius was going to make of it all, he had no idea. He got the feeling that when there was already so much going on that, Harry would not want to add another layer of worry.
But then how much did you ever really know a person truly?
"I wish I knew," she replied to him and it was only too obvious she had been unsettled by the night's events as well – they all had.
Her chocolate brown eyes searched for answers in his cool grey ones – and just for a moment he was sure he saw her hand move to reach his own –
"Well, I think it is pretty blood obvious that he has put his own name in that cup!"
"Ron – " Draco begun. But the thought had crossed his mind. Until he had spoken with Harry, he was not going to be able to say for sure he did or did not believe that.
Yet what he had not been was angry – which Ron clearly was.
"You can't think that he would really do that!" said Hermione to him as she looked desperately at their best friend. Hermione was not exactly the kind of person who looked for the good in everyone but neither was she one to miss it when it was truly there.
"Of course, he would – look at the past three years. Do you really put it past him?"
Whatever had got into Ron had clearly passed Draco and Hermione by - but as the red haired stopped off to the common room, it was clear that his mate felt as if she had to go after him.
"I'll see you tomorrow Draco," she said as she got up and went after Ron.
"Yeah. See you."
Not seeing that he had any other choice, Draco went up to his own common room, wishing not for the first time that he had been put into Gryffindor so that he might see Harry that night. Had he gone in to the house of the lion then at the time, it would have been the worst thing in the world for him at eleven. But he knew now in the end his father would have gotten used to it. And it would have made his life a lot easier in some ways.
"What's going on Draco?" he was asked as soon as he got into the common room by Michael.
Terry was also waiting up for him, as were most of Ravenclaw house.
"I wish I knew."
"As if you don't," said one of the sixth years to him spitefully.
"And how on earth would I?" he asked, not in the mood to take crap from any one that night.
"As if Potter would seriously be clever enough to do it without the help of a Ravenclaw. Come on Malfoy, everyone knows your family history. As if you didn't owl daddy for a little bit of help."
Draco paused a minute. "Why on earth did the sorting hat put you in this house? That illogical argument isn't worthy of a Hufflepuff to be frank! Firstly, if Harry was going to ask a Ravenclaw to help him, why on earth would he come to me? We're friends, true, but I am a fourth year, just like him, we know practically the same thing. If he was going to go to a Ravenclaw, he would go to one smarter than me. Two, believe me, if my father was going to aid any wizard to being the champion, it would have been me... except not, because we don't get on, not that it is any of your business. He is not going to aid Harry, because he hates him, just like he does me. So sod off!"
The members of his own house he did on with, his friends suddenly looked as if they had a new found respect for him. It was not as if he was too much of a goody goody (the 'cauldron' incident was still well remembered), but he was not normally one for out bursts either.
Terry and Michael muttered something about going to bed. He did not blame them. He was not going to be a lot of company for them that night.
He had been sitting in an arm chair on his own when he became vaguely aware someone was beside him. "I think it was a good thing you did there – but the 'sod off' at the end rather did cheapen your own logic."
"Did it Luna?"
"Oh yes. Next time, you should leave it off and just leave your opponent with a sense your own logic really is greatly superior to their own. Which it was"
"It was just on impulse. I may not know what is going on but until I do I am not going to listen to anyone bad mouth my best friend."
"Nor should you. Have you been near the two headed Fufflebee lately Draco?"
"Not that I am aware of."
"Well, they can give you extra sources of courage. I think it is what gave you the strength to stand up to him tonight."
"Thank you – I think."
XXX
By the time Draco made it up to the dorm room the night before, the others had all gone to sleep for which he was grateful. He didn't sleep though. If it had not night time then he knew he would have gone to see Severus. He wanted to know exactly what was going on.
But then he did not think there was a person in the castle who did not feel that.
As he went through the common room that day, he felt people's eyes upon him. No one expected him to behave the way that he had done last night.
But then perhaps it was time to change some opinions.
As soon as he got to the great hall he made a bee line for Harry, and it was not long before it became obvious he was not the only one who was not in the best of moods.
"Before you even ask, I did not put my name in that goblet." Harry said to him on the defence right away. "If you have a problem with that then you might as well buggar off now Draco, because I have had it all off of Ron already and I am not in the mood to take any more today."
"Fair enough," the Ravenclaw nodded as he sat down next to him. "But for the record, I do believe you and I have no problem with that. Now can I say my piece; first of all, you have to write to Sirius. And second of all, we have to start figuring out who did put your name in there."
XXX
"Harry is a tri wizard champion."
Lucius had been sitting in his study when he heard the door open. Jane hadn't knocked to come in, which was the first indication that something was seriously wrong. The second was her worried expression, one he saw far too often those days. The Daily Prophet was in his hand.
"Harry? Harry Potter... but he is only fourteen!" said Lucius as he got up.
"I know... Draco's age. He isn't old enough to enter."
"Give me the paper," he ordered. His eyes scanned the news article quickly, and he felt his breathe shorten.
"What does this mean?"
"It means a servant of the Dark Lord is at Hogwarts – Potter is not safe... and neither is prince," he confirmed her worst fears. Their eyes met.
"You don't have a clue who has done this, Lucius, do you?"
He shook his head. "Right now, Jane... your guess is probably better than mine."
Please review!
Author Note: I am off to America for a holiday tomorrow so this is my last update until the week of the twelfth September guys!
