Harry entered the girl's bathroom to find Ron, Hermione and Jessica squeezed precariously into the small cubicle and fussing over the blackened cauldron which was steaming and emitting a nasty smell that reminded Harry forcibly of toenail clippings. He told them about Dobby and the midnight visitation. They spent a little time debating the Malfoys before Harry remembered,
"Hey-Jess, you were amazing yesterday! Where did you learn to fly like that?" She gave him an embarrassed sort of smile and blushed slightly.
"I used to play against my mum's students at the school, they let me sort of live there until I got in to Hogwarts, the potions master kind of adopted me. My broom's crap though, I'm saving up for a new model-it's supposed to be amazing, but it's not out till the summer. But anyway, what's going to happen to that Creevey kid?"
A little over a week later, the four of them entered the Great Hall with a slight groan
"Not that prick! Please...anyone else but him!" Moaned Jessica resentfully as the golden-locked white-toothed profile of Lockhart came into clear view. As they all shook their heads and rolled their eyes at each other someone shoved Jessica so hard that she overbalanced and Harry had to catch her. Malfoy sneered and mouthed something at Jessica over his shoulder. Ron looked puzzled.
"He'll get you back for what?" But Lockhart had just started speaking, which, Harry thought, was a relief, as Jessica was looking more livid than he had yet seen her. The tips of her long black hair had turned red (a danger sign, this always seemed to happen when she got angry) and her fists were clenched. But Harry thought he saw something else in her eyes-was that fear? He didn't know why, but he was finding himself increasingly fascinated by Jessica. More and more often, his eyes would wander around looking for hers, and when they met, his heart would give a little flutter. It was not a crush, he was sure that he did not fancy her in the slightest (though she was pretty), it was something far more complicated than that. He couldn't describe it to himself, but he was spared having to as the demonstration began.
"Miss Granger-over here with Miss. Bullstrode, and" Snape's lip curled with unexplainable hatred "Evans, you can go with Miss. Parkinson" Harry glanced over at Jessica, but she had her head down and her face was covered by the long sheets of her black hair.
"SERPENSORTIA!" Malfoy shouted as the great black snake erupted from his wand; Harry gazed into its eyes steadily and watched as Lockhart in avertedly set the snake towards Justin. His mind was frozen, and, numbly he stepped forward, but the same moment as Harry shouted, "leave him!" someone in the crown stepped forward and tried to stop the snake with a spell. Confused, the snake lunged. A high-pitched scream filled the Great Hall and a small girl with dark hair tumbled to the ground. Very dark hair.
"Jess!" she lay there as the snake lunged again and again, sinking its fangs deep into her flesh. Snape rushed forward and waved his wand once and the snake vanished mid lurch, and there lay Jessica, in a pool of her own blood. Her eyes were open but clouded over and her body was trembling. Someone shouted at Harry,
"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" but Harry wasn't paying attention-all he could see was his friend, lying there-bleeding. Someone pushed passed him to her side as Hermione sobbed behind Harry, someone with long, greasy, black hair. Snape's face was white and his hands shook as he lifted Jessica's light form from the ground, holding her, cradling her even. He looked at Harry and shot him a look of such rancour that Harry felt sick as the professor swept passed him and out of the silent hall. A sneer broke the stillness.
"You're in for it now Potter!" Draco looked even paler than usual "Attacking a teacher's daughter? Snape's going to be after you're blood for doing that to his precious daughter!"