A Challenge of Sorts
Author's Note: Ok, here is the second update in 2 days! It won't happen often, but I am going home tomorrow, so I probably won't be able to update for a few days if I don't do it now.
This is almost the last chapter I have typed up, but I am on holidays, so I HOPE to be able to finish the lot.. Is Jane magical? You will all just have to wait and see I am afraid..
Hope you all enjoy this. I know my chapters are a little short, but they just come out that way... Sorry... I write in an old A5 diary, and most are between 3 and 6 pages... You will be glad to see that this is a little longer!
Happy reading.. I am going home tomorrow! I am SO excited..
**********
"Hey Muggle Whore."
Jane froze. Turning, she noted that it was the blonde haired boy who had spent the class gawking at her like she had some kind of disease. She had already decided that he was an arrogant bastard, but Snape had seemed to like him, even if he had been the one who had forced him to reveal her non- magical status. Jane decided to say nothing, not wanting to start a row. She bit her tongue and remained silent, preparing to flee.
"Didn't you hear me, are you deaf too, Muggle whore?"
That was enough for Jane; she wouldn't tolerate being called a whore, well not twice anyway. The suggestion that she would sell her body made her angry. It was untrue. The Muggle bit she didn't really mind, after all, how could the truth really be an insult, the stupid boy was really only stating a different point of view, but she was not a whore. She had never been paid for that! Even if it would have made her life easier, she had never been reduced to taking money for sex and she never would, preferring to starve if it came to that. She was not a whore and never would be. It was the only promise she could make herself and expect to keep.
Tense now, Jane sucked in a deep breath, trying to control her rising anger, and the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. She steeled herself to be pleasant. "Mr Malfoy isn't it?" She forced a smile.
Draco ignored her question. "I don't know what you have done to Professor Snape, but I am here to tell you it won't last. He'll get over you soon enough and you will be back on the streets, so don't get too accustomed to Hogwarts."
"You should keep your nose out of other people's business. What is between Severus," Jane watched as the boy turned red with contained anger at the use of Snape's first name, "and I is nothing to do with you, so back off or you might just get more than you bargained for."
"Is that right?" Draco pulled his wand out and pointed it at Jane's chest. "We'll see shall we?" He would make her speak; she would reveal the basis of her relationship with the Potions Master. His father had taught him enough dark magic for that. "Prodo Secretus."
The spell arched from the tip of Draco's wand and hit the girl in the chest. Nothing happened. He tried again. "Prodo Secretus!" Still nothing. Draco stared, incredulously, at Jane. Magic hadn't worked on her.
Jane was the one to smile now; she knew she had the upper hand. Without his magic this boy had nothing but a bad attitude, and she knew how to deal with that. Reaching into her coat, she drew out her knife. Suddenly Draco looked a lot less sure of himself. Jane smiled, the boy hadn't been expecting that.
She moved towards him threateningly, watching the uncertainty he was experiencing blossom as fear. Grabbing his robes, Jane pushed him against the wall and held the knife to his throat. "I suggest you back off Mr Malfoy," she hissed, "I've used this knife to kill already, and I am warning you I won't hesitate to do so again if necessary, so don't push me."
Eyes wide, Draco stared at her but said nothing.
"That's right Mr Malfoy, this blade has already tasted blood once. It would be unfortunate if it got the taste again. Do you understand me?"
Draco nodded silently in response, thinking she sounded a lot like Snape.
"Good." Jane released him and walked away, struggling to control the desire to run, leaving a shaken Draco Malfoy trembling in her wake.
The Bloody Baron was quite surprised.
**********
"Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot." Jane berated herself. What the hell had compelled her to do that? She had threatened a student, told him she had killed before and threatened him with the same treatment. Jane just knew she would be sent back to the streets for sure now. She knew the boy would never be able to keep his mouth shut. Maybe she should just come good with her threat. no, that WOULD get her kicked out. She would just have to hope he did keep his mouth shut. Her body started to shake and she ran to the bathroom and vomited. Returning to her room she fell to the floor and pulled her knees up under her chin. Rocking backward and forward, she allowed the tears to flow. She hated her life and wanted to die. It would have been so much easier if he had just left her alone.
**********
Snape sat, staring at the closed door to Jane's room, wondering what had happened. She had gone off for a walk after his class, and when she had come back she had run to her room without a word, and locked the door. He wanted to help her if he could, he wanted to at least know what was bothering her, but he wouldn't invade her privacy. If she felt she needed to lock him out, he would just have to wait.
Snape felt the energy of the room ripple as the Baron appeared. "You seem worried Severus, a knut for your thoughts."
Snape sighed, sitting back and waved his hand at the locked door. "Jane has locked herself in her room."
The ghost chuckled. "Severus, when has a locked door ever stopped you?"
"Yes," Snape barked, "I know I can get in there, but she deserves her privacy. If she wants to keep me out, I shall stay out. I owe her that much at least. I want her to feel safe here, not threatened."
The ghost chuckled again. He truly enjoyed baiting his Head of House. "You are getting soft in your old age Severus."
"Shut up Baron, I'm not in the mood. Now, why are you here? Surely this isn't a social call."
"You are correct Severus. I know what has the girl so upset."
"Would you care to enlighten me?" Snape enquired concerned.
"She had a run in with Mr Malfoy. The little snake called her some not so nice names, and then tried to hex her a couple of times."
Snape looked livid. "He WHAT! How dare he! He will pay for that!" Snape fumed, anger boiling through him.
"Severus, please calm yourself before you have a heart attack. I should add that his attempts to hex the girl were quite unsuccessful."
Snape stopped at the unexpected words and looked at the ghost, surprised. A hex didn't work - interesting, very interesting indeed.
"So your young Muggle friend took things into her own hands and let the young man know, in no uncertain terms, that blood would be shed if he didn't leave her alone."
Snape groaned.
"And you too." The Baron added.
"Me?" Why would the boy be interested in him? Was it Lucius' doing he wondered. That could be a problem.
"Yes, it would seem that young Draco is rather curious about what happened to you during your absence, and why you felt compelled to bring the girl here."
"Hmmm, I see." Snape said thoughtfully. "Yes, I expected some of my Slytherins might have issue with my new friend given her magical status. I see I will have to take steps to ensure some attitudes are adjusted before things get out of hand and she makes good on her promise. Thank you Baron."
"A pleasure Severus." The Baron lowered his head in acknowledgement of Snape's thanks, and then disappeared.
**********
Ok, before any of you ask... even though Snape's rooms are protected by wards, I expect the Barron would have the ability to enter and leave as he pleased, mainly because he is essentially non-corpuscular, even though Jane did feel him, I think he may have allowed that for her benefit, but also because he is Snape's House Ghost, and I think there would be a working relationship between the two.
Second, I couldn't write that Jane had been a whore... I realise the fact is she probably did have to be, to survive, but I just couldn't do it this time.. Perhaps in version 2 of this... :) At the moment I am intending to work on a darker version over Christmas break when I have some more time...
Hope you all enjoyed this. Please read and review...
Author's Note: Ok, here is the second update in 2 days! It won't happen often, but I am going home tomorrow, so I probably won't be able to update for a few days if I don't do it now.
This is almost the last chapter I have typed up, but I am on holidays, so I HOPE to be able to finish the lot.. Is Jane magical? You will all just have to wait and see I am afraid..
Hope you all enjoy this. I know my chapters are a little short, but they just come out that way... Sorry... I write in an old A5 diary, and most are between 3 and 6 pages... You will be glad to see that this is a little longer!
Happy reading.. I am going home tomorrow! I am SO excited..
**********
"Hey Muggle Whore."
Jane froze. Turning, she noted that it was the blonde haired boy who had spent the class gawking at her like she had some kind of disease. She had already decided that he was an arrogant bastard, but Snape had seemed to like him, even if he had been the one who had forced him to reveal her non- magical status. Jane decided to say nothing, not wanting to start a row. She bit her tongue and remained silent, preparing to flee.
"Didn't you hear me, are you deaf too, Muggle whore?"
That was enough for Jane; she wouldn't tolerate being called a whore, well not twice anyway. The suggestion that she would sell her body made her angry. It was untrue. The Muggle bit she didn't really mind, after all, how could the truth really be an insult, the stupid boy was really only stating a different point of view, but she was not a whore. She had never been paid for that! Even if it would have made her life easier, she had never been reduced to taking money for sex and she never would, preferring to starve if it came to that. She was not a whore and never would be. It was the only promise she could make herself and expect to keep.
Tense now, Jane sucked in a deep breath, trying to control her rising anger, and the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. She steeled herself to be pleasant. "Mr Malfoy isn't it?" She forced a smile.
Draco ignored her question. "I don't know what you have done to Professor Snape, but I am here to tell you it won't last. He'll get over you soon enough and you will be back on the streets, so don't get too accustomed to Hogwarts."
"You should keep your nose out of other people's business. What is between Severus," Jane watched as the boy turned red with contained anger at the use of Snape's first name, "and I is nothing to do with you, so back off or you might just get more than you bargained for."
"Is that right?" Draco pulled his wand out and pointed it at Jane's chest. "We'll see shall we?" He would make her speak; she would reveal the basis of her relationship with the Potions Master. His father had taught him enough dark magic for that. "Prodo Secretus."
The spell arched from the tip of Draco's wand and hit the girl in the chest. Nothing happened. He tried again. "Prodo Secretus!" Still nothing. Draco stared, incredulously, at Jane. Magic hadn't worked on her.
Jane was the one to smile now; she knew she had the upper hand. Without his magic this boy had nothing but a bad attitude, and she knew how to deal with that. Reaching into her coat, she drew out her knife. Suddenly Draco looked a lot less sure of himself. Jane smiled, the boy hadn't been expecting that.
She moved towards him threateningly, watching the uncertainty he was experiencing blossom as fear. Grabbing his robes, Jane pushed him against the wall and held the knife to his throat. "I suggest you back off Mr Malfoy," she hissed, "I've used this knife to kill already, and I am warning you I won't hesitate to do so again if necessary, so don't push me."
Eyes wide, Draco stared at her but said nothing.
"That's right Mr Malfoy, this blade has already tasted blood once. It would be unfortunate if it got the taste again. Do you understand me?"
Draco nodded silently in response, thinking she sounded a lot like Snape.
"Good." Jane released him and walked away, struggling to control the desire to run, leaving a shaken Draco Malfoy trembling in her wake.
The Bloody Baron was quite surprised.
**********
"Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot." Jane berated herself. What the hell had compelled her to do that? She had threatened a student, told him she had killed before and threatened him with the same treatment. Jane just knew she would be sent back to the streets for sure now. She knew the boy would never be able to keep his mouth shut. Maybe she should just come good with her threat. no, that WOULD get her kicked out. She would just have to hope he did keep his mouth shut. Her body started to shake and she ran to the bathroom and vomited. Returning to her room she fell to the floor and pulled her knees up under her chin. Rocking backward and forward, she allowed the tears to flow. She hated her life and wanted to die. It would have been so much easier if he had just left her alone.
**********
Snape sat, staring at the closed door to Jane's room, wondering what had happened. She had gone off for a walk after his class, and when she had come back she had run to her room without a word, and locked the door. He wanted to help her if he could, he wanted to at least know what was bothering her, but he wouldn't invade her privacy. If she felt she needed to lock him out, he would just have to wait.
Snape felt the energy of the room ripple as the Baron appeared. "You seem worried Severus, a knut for your thoughts."
Snape sighed, sitting back and waved his hand at the locked door. "Jane has locked herself in her room."
The ghost chuckled. "Severus, when has a locked door ever stopped you?"
"Yes," Snape barked, "I know I can get in there, but she deserves her privacy. If she wants to keep me out, I shall stay out. I owe her that much at least. I want her to feel safe here, not threatened."
The ghost chuckled again. He truly enjoyed baiting his Head of House. "You are getting soft in your old age Severus."
"Shut up Baron, I'm not in the mood. Now, why are you here? Surely this isn't a social call."
"You are correct Severus. I know what has the girl so upset."
"Would you care to enlighten me?" Snape enquired concerned.
"She had a run in with Mr Malfoy. The little snake called her some not so nice names, and then tried to hex her a couple of times."
Snape looked livid. "He WHAT! How dare he! He will pay for that!" Snape fumed, anger boiling through him.
"Severus, please calm yourself before you have a heart attack. I should add that his attempts to hex the girl were quite unsuccessful."
Snape stopped at the unexpected words and looked at the ghost, surprised. A hex didn't work - interesting, very interesting indeed.
"So your young Muggle friend took things into her own hands and let the young man know, in no uncertain terms, that blood would be shed if he didn't leave her alone."
Snape groaned.
"And you too." The Baron added.
"Me?" Why would the boy be interested in him? Was it Lucius' doing he wondered. That could be a problem.
"Yes, it would seem that young Draco is rather curious about what happened to you during your absence, and why you felt compelled to bring the girl here."
"Hmmm, I see." Snape said thoughtfully. "Yes, I expected some of my Slytherins might have issue with my new friend given her magical status. I see I will have to take steps to ensure some attitudes are adjusted before things get out of hand and she makes good on her promise. Thank you Baron."
"A pleasure Severus." The Baron lowered his head in acknowledgement of Snape's thanks, and then disappeared.
**********
Ok, before any of you ask... even though Snape's rooms are protected by wards, I expect the Barron would have the ability to enter and leave as he pleased, mainly because he is essentially non-corpuscular, even though Jane did feel him, I think he may have allowed that for her benefit, but also because he is Snape's House Ghost, and I think there would be a working relationship between the two.
Second, I couldn't write that Jane had been a whore... I realise the fact is she probably did have to be, to survive, but I just couldn't do it this time.. Perhaps in version 2 of this... :) At the moment I am intending to work on a darker version over Christmas break when I have some more time...
Hope you all enjoyed this. Please read and review...