Author's Note: Hi, I'm back. I have been busy on this, naughty me. I have
this almost finished now, but the typing is still holding me up, so please
be patient. I have also just posted a short 3 part Voldemort/Snape/Harry
fiction. Please check it out. I will post updates to this on a weekly
basis. Thanks for hanging in there. I hope you are still enjoying it. Next
chapter sees Jane introduced to the first of her new Hogwarts
acquaintances. To ahappyjtm and those of you wondering if Jane is truly non-
magical, and how that is working, all will be revealed in the upcoming
chapters. Sorry, I can't say more because it will spoil the surprise! :)
***************
How they managed to make it the rest of the way back to the castle, Jane never knew. While being tired and hungry wasn't unusual for her, everything else had taken its toll on her endurance, and she was barely capable of walking. Snape was far worse, but she noticed that as they approached the rather imposing castle, he seemed to drag a reserve of energy from somewhere. Perhaps he was using magic, she thought.
She trusted him, really she did, not that she had much choice, but when they came to the entrance, Jane grew apprehensive. Tired and uncertain, she stopped and leaned against the cold stones of the entrance, brushing the snow from her clothes.
Feeling at home amongst the familiar surroundings of the place he had called home for most of his life, Snape didn't notice the girl's hesitation. Moving quickly, attempting to avoid the possibility of running into any of the staff, or worse still, some student having the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Snape was almost at the entrance to the school buildings before he realised Jane was no longer beside him. Trying to control his exasperation, he stopped and looked around. The girl was nowhere to be seen. "Jane?" He hissed, "Where are you?"
There was no answer. Sighing, he turned and retraced hist steps.
He was relieved to find her leaning against the entrance of the outer quadrangle. At least she hadn't run away. Snape almost snapped at the girl. It would have been easy for him to resort to his normal behaviour and it took all his effort to bite his tongue. One look at her spoke to the torment she was fighting. "Jane, what's wrong?" He asked as gently as he could manage.
Jane looked up at him with tear filled eyes, unable to speak.
"Are you scared?"
She nodded slightly.
"You know I won't let you be hurt don't you?"
She nodded again.
"So what are you scared of?"
"Embarrassing you. Making you angry. Causing trouble."
So much fear, Snape thought, for so little reason. It wouldn't be easy initiating her into the Hogwarts universe, but it wasn't something she had to worry about. If it didn't go well, only one person would be held responsible, and that would be Severus Snape, Potions Master, and really that, at that particular moment, was the least burdensome of his responsibilities.
Body aching and chest still heaving from expended effort, Snape reached out towards the distraught girl. "Please come in. It is too cold out here. I don't think I will be able to stand much longer."
He watched the girl, who had been so unassailable in her own world, struggle to stop the tears that were streaming down her face. Looking now at the face, streaked with tears and dirt, Snape realised, for the first time just how young the girl really was, and how little she knew about life away from the squalid world she had inhabited for so long. The next few weeks would be very interesting, very interesting indeed.
Taking his hand, Jane wiped her eyes, smiled, and nodded. "Alright."
***************
Following Snape through the cold stone halls, Jane felt more at home. Everything seemed slightly worn, slightly used, similar to her warehouse home. Granted, the décor was somewhat unusual, but it wasn't as intimidating has she had expected. In fact, she decided the castle was kind of warm and inviting.
They seemed to move continually downward and Jane noticed subtle changes in Snape's bearing. While it was obvious he was still injured and hurting badly, she saw that he now carried himself in a more dignified and imposing manner. She wondered if all the teachers were like that. So far she hadn't seen anyone else to judge him against, but he was certainly different here to what he had been. He no longer allowed his weakness to show, she marvelled at his ability to hide the pain she knew he must be experiencing. He must have been using magic, she decided.
Almost running to keep up with the tall man, Jane barely escaped colliding with him when he stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. He whispered something she couldn't quite catch and flicked his wand around, and without him even touching it, the door opened and Snape stepped inside, holding it open for her.
He had barely spoken since they had entered the buildings. Now he turned to her, "We will talk, but first I must take care of a few things, and you must wash." He pointed to a door, "The bathroom is through there. Go and clean up."
Jane nodded in acknowledgement and moved to the door waiting. When it didn't open she put her hand out and opened it. Looking back she watched briefly as Snape searched through some bottles on a shelf.
Snape waited until he heard water flowing. Sighing and wincing at the continued effort to remain active, he picked up the small round bottle filled with a golden liquid. Phoenix Tears Potion. It was his own invention and he was quite proud of it.
Moving across the room, he picked up a goblet and sat down at his desk. Hands shaking, almost at the limit of his endurance, even with the endurance spell he had cast, he poured the potion from the bottle and topped the goblet up with water Phoenix Tears was remarkably effective, but far too volatile to drink undiluted.
Sipping from the goblet he smiled as the healing properties of the potion took effect. A sense of warmth and relief flooded over him. Yes, he thought to himself, this was far better than being molly coddled by Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. That was an experience he never wished to have the pleasure of repeating if it could be avoided.
***************
How they managed to make it the rest of the way back to the castle, Jane never knew. While being tired and hungry wasn't unusual for her, everything else had taken its toll on her endurance, and she was barely capable of walking. Snape was far worse, but she noticed that as they approached the rather imposing castle, he seemed to drag a reserve of energy from somewhere. Perhaps he was using magic, she thought.
She trusted him, really she did, not that she had much choice, but when they came to the entrance, Jane grew apprehensive. Tired and uncertain, she stopped and leaned against the cold stones of the entrance, brushing the snow from her clothes.
Feeling at home amongst the familiar surroundings of the place he had called home for most of his life, Snape didn't notice the girl's hesitation. Moving quickly, attempting to avoid the possibility of running into any of the staff, or worse still, some student having the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Snape was almost at the entrance to the school buildings before he realised Jane was no longer beside him. Trying to control his exasperation, he stopped and looked around. The girl was nowhere to be seen. "Jane?" He hissed, "Where are you?"
There was no answer. Sighing, he turned and retraced hist steps.
He was relieved to find her leaning against the entrance of the outer quadrangle. At least she hadn't run away. Snape almost snapped at the girl. It would have been easy for him to resort to his normal behaviour and it took all his effort to bite his tongue. One look at her spoke to the torment she was fighting. "Jane, what's wrong?" He asked as gently as he could manage.
Jane looked up at him with tear filled eyes, unable to speak.
"Are you scared?"
She nodded slightly.
"You know I won't let you be hurt don't you?"
She nodded again.
"So what are you scared of?"
"Embarrassing you. Making you angry. Causing trouble."
So much fear, Snape thought, for so little reason. It wouldn't be easy initiating her into the Hogwarts universe, but it wasn't something she had to worry about. If it didn't go well, only one person would be held responsible, and that would be Severus Snape, Potions Master, and really that, at that particular moment, was the least burdensome of his responsibilities.
Body aching and chest still heaving from expended effort, Snape reached out towards the distraught girl. "Please come in. It is too cold out here. I don't think I will be able to stand much longer."
He watched the girl, who had been so unassailable in her own world, struggle to stop the tears that were streaming down her face. Looking now at the face, streaked with tears and dirt, Snape realised, for the first time just how young the girl really was, and how little she knew about life away from the squalid world she had inhabited for so long. The next few weeks would be very interesting, very interesting indeed.
Taking his hand, Jane wiped her eyes, smiled, and nodded. "Alright."
***************
Following Snape through the cold stone halls, Jane felt more at home. Everything seemed slightly worn, slightly used, similar to her warehouse home. Granted, the décor was somewhat unusual, but it wasn't as intimidating has she had expected. In fact, she decided the castle was kind of warm and inviting.
They seemed to move continually downward and Jane noticed subtle changes in Snape's bearing. While it was obvious he was still injured and hurting badly, she saw that he now carried himself in a more dignified and imposing manner. She wondered if all the teachers were like that. So far she hadn't seen anyone else to judge him against, but he was certainly different here to what he had been. He no longer allowed his weakness to show, she marvelled at his ability to hide the pain she knew he must be experiencing. He must have been using magic, she decided.
Almost running to keep up with the tall man, Jane barely escaped colliding with him when he stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. He whispered something she couldn't quite catch and flicked his wand around, and without him even touching it, the door opened and Snape stepped inside, holding it open for her.
He had barely spoken since they had entered the buildings. Now he turned to her, "We will talk, but first I must take care of a few things, and you must wash." He pointed to a door, "The bathroom is through there. Go and clean up."
Jane nodded in acknowledgement and moved to the door waiting. When it didn't open she put her hand out and opened it. Looking back she watched briefly as Snape searched through some bottles on a shelf.
Snape waited until he heard water flowing. Sighing and wincing at the continued effort to remain active, he picked up the small round bottle filled with a golden liquid. Phoenix Tears Potion. It was his own invention and he was quite proud of it.
Moving across the room, he picked up a goblet and sat down at his desk. Hands shaking, almost at the limit of his endurance, even with the endurance spell he had cast, he poured the potion from the bottle and topped the goblet up with water Phoenix Tears was remarkably effective, but far too volatile to drink undiluted.
Sipping from the goblet he smiled as the healing properties of the potion took effect. A sense of warmth and relief flooded over him. Yes, he thought to himself, this was far better than being molly coddled by Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. That was an experience he never wished to have the pleasure of repeating if it could be avoided.