Disclaimers: I do not own these characters except for Jessica Weaver and
Other characters that you do not recognize. The others belong to J.K.R.
Things go from bad to worse.
RWH
***
Sixteen
Sunday afternoon- 4/27
Severus Snape aparated a few blocks down from The Naked Lady pub. He had fully intended on going to see Jessica last night but after returning from the revel he had fallen into a deep exhausted sleep and didn't wake up all night. Whatever had occurred at the party had him so tired that nothing woke him up from the sleep of the dead. If others thought he was a vampire, then trying to wake him up last night they would have been sure of it. Nothing could have rose him from that slumber. It didn't matter that it was night and not morning. Others still would have associated it to the sleep of the dead. That's how out he was.
He gathered his cloak around him and stepped around the corner immediately stopping dead in his tracks at the image baring into his retina.
The Naked Lady was nothing but charred remains.
"Oh, Shit!" Severus rushed towards the smoldering ruins with a pain of dread rushing through his body. He felt his throat close up as he stared in disbelief at what was left of the building. What was once a life giving essence of drink and merriment was now a total wreck, beams were laying in abandon from where the ceiling used to be, the walls, charred and black, laid across what used to be the bar area. Stunned he looked around seeing no one about, no police, no Charlie, and no by-passers. No one to explain what happened.
"Jessica." The one name slipped from his tongue as he turned on his heels and sprinted to her apartment. His mind raced in fear as he rounded another corner to her building.
"Gods, no.. not Jessica."
He frantically recanted repeatedly to himself as he sprinted up the stairs of her building, taking then three at a time in his hurry. He stopped at her door and saw the padlock barring his entrance. Without thinking he pulled his wand and waved it at the primitive lock.
"Alohamora!"
The lock obediently came off and fell into his hand allowing him to walk in to see the place exactly as he remembered it.
"Jessica?"
He called out but got no answering response.. He moved quickly around seeing that nothing looked to be disturbed. His glance swept over the table noticing, with a fear of realization, that her workbag was gone. She had always dropped it on the table when she got home after work. The bag missing only meant one thing.
"She was at work during the fire."
He sank down on her sofa with a heavy heart. It was as quiet as a tomb and that sent shivers down his spine chilling his blood to the bone. He let his eyes drift over the tiny flat seeing her everywhere. Her twinkling laughter as she talked with him into the night, the way her eyes lit up when they made love, watching her cooking breakfast for him in that joke of a room she called a kitchen. The domesticity of it all, which was what he would miss more than anything.
There had to be a chance.
The thought of her in the building as it burnt down was too much for him to take and he stood up once more stalking to the door. Surely, they had a hospital nearby. Maybe she was alive. There had to be a chance that she was. Fate couldn't be as cruel as to allow him to find the love of his life and lose her in barely two months
To love and to lose..
"NO!" He wasn't about to think that way.. not yet. She had to be alive.
He looked down into his hand, realizing for the first time that he still had the lock clenched in his hand. His brow furrowed in thought.
Now why was her door locked up?
He stepped back through the entrance of her apartment and gazed at the padlock in puzzlement. His mind rapidly going over the possibilities of why there was a lock on her door. There hadn't been one there before that he could remember. She had always used her door key. He was sure this was a new addition.
Something else was going on here. With a swish of his cloak he headed back down to see the superintendent.
Nearly flying down the stairs he stopped before the noted door and pounded on it until the door finally opened and a man peered out at him with skeptical eyes and a nervous demeanor.
"Yeah? What do ya want? I have no rooms for rent."
"I wish to know the whereabouts of Miss Wheeler."
"How the hell should I know?" The man shrugged in answer and made to shut the door, but Severus stuck his foot in the door to stop it from slamming shut.
"There is a lock on her door."
"I know, I put it there."
"Why?"
The man gave him a glare and a nudge at the other man's foot.
"Non payment of back rent if you must know."
"Non.. " Severus frowned, he had no idea that she was having financial problems. Why in God's name didn't she say anything to him? "How far is she behind?"
"Three months, not including this month."
"Where is she?"
"Like I said buddy, I don't know. I kicked her out early this morning. Look out on the streets."
Severus snarled and clenched his wand under his cloak. This man was really starting to make him mad.
"You just.. tossed her out? Just like that?" Relief rested behind his clouded anger in the knowledge that she was here this morning. She had escaped the fire somehow.. miraculously. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind temporarily until he could indulge in absolute delight.
"Look, I'm in a business, I can't just let non-payers live here rent free. I have to make a living too, you know."
Severus closed his eyes and sighed. He hated to admit it but he did make sense.
"What if her rent was paid up? Can she come back?"
"No, I don't think she would be welcomed, there have been people here this morning looking for her."
"People? Who?"
"Weird people, dressed like you, and the people from immigrations. Her VISA ran out a few weeks ago. They want to send her back to the states." The super continued to answer his questions a bit confused as to why he didn't just slam the door in the weirdo's face, foot notwithstanding.
"And what will become of her things?"
"If she doesn't pay up soon, I will sell them."
"I don't think so."
Severus pulled out a bag and handed it to him.
"I think you will find this sufficient enough for what she owes you. I will go and get her things."
The Super took the bag and opened it his eyes widening at the amount of gold coins he saw inside.
"Hell buddy, you don't want a flat do you?"
"In 'THIS' hell hole? I could buy this dump and have it paved to the ground by Monday." Severus threatened and turned to storm back up to her flat leaving the man gawking after him.
Back up in her flat he looked around and produced his wand from his inner pocket. Swishing and flicking until every item was reduced in size and placed into her only suitcase, which he then proceeded to reduce and slip it into his pocket.
With a final glance around he turned to the door only to see the Super watching him with wide, scared eyes.
"You are a stupid.. stupid.. man!"
The man took a step back as he saw Severus shivering in barely repressed anger. As the cloaked man raised his long wooden rod at him Wiltington turned on his heal and ran. His mind screaming in terror at what he had just seen and what was about to be done to him.
"Obliviate!"
Wiltington felt a bolt of heat and he was flung into the wall, hard. The bolt of light from the strange man's wand hit him smack in the back and knocked him headlong into the wall opposite the flat.
"Hope that hurt, you son of a bitch!" Snape snarled turning and leaving the man unconscious on the floor.
The man could rot in hell for all he cared, right now he had business to attend to. Jessica was out there somewhere.alone and homeless.he had to find her.
Somehow.
~~~
Acknowledgments and A/N's
Fancy: Well as you have already read, no he's NOT dead. So dry those eyes. Things are going to get a bit worse before they get better, but keep reading.
J.S. Sumner: Uh.sorry about that, but I tend to stop where I see a break point. Not trying to make you a wreck. I love ya girl. Wouldn't want to upset you, but.come on.really now.don't you love the suspense? I'm sorry for taking so long to get this one up, but I have had some problems with this old piece of.**** at any rate. I hope you like this part. I look forward to your next review. :D Lupin? Would you really? Ohhhh.maybe I will wait a while longer for my next post.just for that.delicious.threat.
Someone28: Here you go.enjoy!
NuttyGirl: Malfoy will be back, but not for a few more chapters. Keep reading. You're Goddess OL mother commands it! hehe
Magdellin: Hey! *checks Snape's head* now no rough stuff. Poor guys been through enough don't you think? LOL
Cathryne: I'm writing more on this.stay tuned.
NiteQueen: How dare I? Oh come on.I DARE! Hehehehehehehe. Don't worry Im sure she has a case full of TUMS!
~~~
Please don't forget to review!
Blessed Be!
RWH
Things go from bad to worse.
RWH
***
Sixteen
Sunday afternoon- 4/27
Severus Snape aparated a few blocks down from The Naked Lady pub. He had fully intended on going to see Jessica last night but after returning from the revel he had fallen into a deep exhausted sleep and didn't wake up all night. Whatever had occurred at the party had him so tired that nothing woke him up from the sleep of the dead. If others thought he was a vampire, then trying to wake him up last night they would have been sure of it. Nothing could have rose him from that slumber. It didn't matter that it was night and not morning. Others still would have associated it to the sleep of the dead. That's how out he was.
He gathered his cloak around him and stepped around the corner immediately stopping dead in his tracks at the image baring into his retina.
The Naked Lady was nothing but charred remains.
"Oh, Shit!" Severus rushed towards the smoldering ruins with a pain of dread rushing through his body. He felt his throat close up as he stared in disbelief at what was left of the building. What was once a life giving essence of drink and merriment was now a total wreck, beams were laying in abandon from where the ceiling used to be, the walls, charred and black, laid across what used to be the bar area. Stunned he looked around seeing no one about, no police, no Charlie, and no by-passers. No one to explain what happened.
"Jessica." The one name slipped from his tongue as he turned on his heels and sprinted to her apartment. His mind raced in fear as he rounded another corner to her building.
"Gods, no.. not Jessica."
He frantically recanted repeatedly to himself as he sprinted up the stairs of her building, taking then three at a time in his hurry. He stopped at her door and saw the padlock barring his entrance. Without thinking he pulled his wand and waved it at the primitive lock.
"Alohamora!"
The lock obediently came off and fell into his hand allowing him to walk in to see the place exactly as he remembered it.
"Jessica?"
He called out but got no answering response.. He moved quickly around seeing that nothing looked to be disturbed. His glance swept over the table noticing, with a fear of realization, that her workbag was gone. She had always dropped it on the table when she got home after work. The bag missing only meant one thing.
"She was at work during the fire."
He sank down on her sofa with a heavy heart. It was as quiet as a tomb and that sent shivers down his spine chilling his blood to the bone. He let his eyes drift over the tiny flat seeing her everywhere. Her twinkling laughter as she talked with him into the night, the way her eyes lit up when they made love, watching her cooking breakfast for him in that joke of a room she called a kitchen. The domesticity of it all, which was what he would miss more than anything.
There had to be a chance.
The thought of her in the building as it burnt down was too much for him to take and he stood up once more stalking to the door. Surely, they had a hospital nearby. Maybe she was alive. There had to be a chance that she was. Fate couldn't be as cruel as to allow him to find the love of his life and lose her in barely two months
To love and to lose..
"NO!" He wasn't about to think that way.. not yet. She had to be alive.
He looked down into his hand, realizing for the first time that he still had the lock clenched in his hand. His brow furrowed in thought.
Now why was her door locked up?
He stepped back through the entrance of her apartment and gazed at the padlock in puzzlement. His mind rapidly going over the possibilities of why there was a lock on her door. There hadn't been one there before that he could remember. She had always used her door key. He was sure this was a new addition.
Something else was going on here. With a swish of his cloak he headed back down to see the superintendent.
Nearly flying down the stairs he stopped before the noted door and pounded on it until the door finally opened and a man peered out at him with skeptical eyes and a nervous demeanor.
"Yeah? What do ya want? I have no rooms for rent."
"I wish to know the whereabouts of Miss Wheeler."
"How the hell should I know?" The man shrugged in answer and made to shut the door, but Severus stuck his foot in the door to stop it from slamming shut.
"There is a lock on her door."
"I know, I put it there."
"Why?"
The man gave him a glare and a nudge at the other man's foot.
"Non payment of back rent if you must know."
"Non.. " Severus frowned, he had no idea that she was having financial problems. Why in God's name didn't she say anything to him? "How far is she behind?"
"Three months, not including this month."
"Where is she?"
"Like I said buddy, I don't know. I kicked her out early this morning. Look out on the streets."
Severus snarled and clenched his wand under his cloak. This man was really starting to make him mad.
"You just.. tossed her out? Just like that?" Relief rested behind his clouded anger in the knowledge that she was here this morning. She had escaped the fire somehow.. miraculously. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind temporarily until he could indulge in absolute delight.
"Look, I'm in a business, I can't just let non-payers live here rent free. I have to make a living too, you know."
Severus closed his eyes and sighed. He hated to admit it but he did make sense.
"What if her rent was paid up? Can she come back?"
"No, I don't think she would be welcomed, there have been people here this morning looking for her."
"People? Who?"
"Weird people, dressed like you, and the people from immigrations. Her VISA ran out a few weeks ago. They want to send her back to the states." The super continued to answer his questions a bit confused as to why he didn't just slam the door in the weirdo's face, foot notwithstanding.
"And what will become of her things?"
"If she doesn't pay up soon, I will sell them."
"I don't think so."
Severus pulled out a bag and handed it to him.
"I think you will find this sufficient enough for what she owes you. I will go and get her things."
The Super took the bag and opened it his eyes widening at the amount of gold coins he saw inside.
"Hell buddy, you don't want a flat do you?"
"In 'THIS' hell hole? I could buy this dump and have it paved to the ground by Monday." Severus threatened and turned to storm back up to her flat leaving the man gawking after him.
Back up in her flat he looked around and produced his wand from his inner pocket. Swishing and flicking until every item was reduced in size and placed into her only suitcase, which he then proceeded to reduce and slip it into his pocket.
With a final glance around he turned to the door only to see the Super watching him with wide, scared eyes.
"You are a stupid.. stupid.. man!"
The man took a step back as he saw Severus shivering in barely repressed anger. As the cloaked man raised his long wooden rod at him Wiltington turned on his heal and ran. His mind screaming in terror at what he had just seen and what was about to be done to him.
"Obliviate!"
Wiltington felt a bolt of heat and he was flung into the wall, hard. The bolt of light from the strange man's wand hit him smack in the back and knocked him headlong into the wall opposite the flat.
"Hope that hurt, you son of a bitch!" Snape snarled turning and leaving the man unconscious on the floor.
The man could rot in hell for all he cared, right now he had business to attend to. Jessica was out there somewhere.alone and homeless.he had to find her.
Somehow.
~~~
Acknowledgments and A/N's
Fancy: Well as you have already read, no he's NOT dead. So dry those eyes. Things are going to get a bit worse before they get better, but keep reading.
J.S. Sumner: Uh.sorry about that, but I tend to stop where I see a break point. Not trying to make you a wreck. I love ya girl. Wouldn't want to upset you, but.come on.really now.don't you love the suspense? I'm sorry for taking so long to get this one up, but I have had some problems with this old piece of.**** at any rate. I hope you like this part. I look forward to your next review. :D Lupin? Would you really? Ohhhh.maybe I will wait a while longer for my next post.just for that.delicious.threat.
Someone28: Here you go.enjoy!
NuttyGirl: Malfoy will be back, but not for a few more chapters. Keep reading. You're Goddess OL mother commands it! hehe
Magdellin: Hey! *checks Snape's head* now no rough stuff. Poor guys been through enough don't you think? LOL
Cathryne: I'm writing more on this.stay tuned.
NiteQueen: How dare I? Oh come on.I DARE! Hehehehehehehe. Don't worry Im sure she has a case full of TUMS!
~~~
Please don't forget to review!
Blessed Be!
RWH