Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in the Harry Potter universe J.K. Rowling does. The title "Waking the Witch" is inspired by the Kate Bush song of the same name. I do not own the song either. It can be found on Kate Bush's album Hounds of Love. The name Rosaleen was inspired by the Neil Jordan film The Company of Wolves. I don't own any of the characters in that film, either! I do, however, own my Rosaleen MacDuff Jasper, who is of no relation or incarnation of Neil Jordan's character in his film.
Waking the Witch
by Leah Pensotti
Chapter Twelve: Arrivals
Hermione settled into the compartment that she shared with her friends and with Professor Jasper. It would be good to be back at school and back in classes. Ron, Ginny and Harry fell into a game of exploding snap, while Professor Jasper kept her eyes outside the window and the passing scenery.
Their new teacher was young and nice and didn't seem to be anyone to be suspicious of. Yet something did not add up. After the day in the kitchen, when she saw that Professor Jasper had no reflection, Hermione had only one thought on her mind.
Vampire.
But that was impossible.
Professor Jasper had walked out in the sun extensively earlier that day and also on the outing to Diagon Alley. She worked with priests and had a rosary...something that most vampires would avoid. Religious imagery was something that creatures of the night were not prone to embrace. She wanted to tell Harry, Ron and Ginny; but she felt compelled to find as much information as she could before she publically went after her nice, new professor with accusations.
She had, after all, trusted Professor Lupin.
The door to their compartment opened with a breeze and saw that Neville Longbottom stood before them. Harry, Ron and Ginny looked up as well and almost in chorus they all greeting him in the same way.
"Hello Neville!"
With this united sound, Rosaleen turned her head to see a boy with a full face and a lopsided smile in his school robes at their door. All of the teenagers looked happy to see him and vice versa. He cast a nervous look in her direction then looked to Harry with a questioning glance. Harry bid Neville to sit down and then nodded in Rosaleen's direction.
"Neville, this is Professor Jasper. She's filling in for Professor Filtwick in Ravenclaw and in charms. She's also teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." Neville looked at her with a slight amount of confusion.
"Teaching two subjects? Has that ever been done before?" Rosaleen's eyebrows went up in distress and she gave him a unaware smile.
"Honestly, I have no idea." Hermione saw the brisk look of panic sweep over her Professor's face and decided to say nothing so she would not worry. The truth is that no one had taught more than one class in quite some time. One subject for seven different years, two different sections that combine two houses equal out to fourteen different sections of students.
Double that and twenty-eight classes is what Professor Jasper was facing.
Luckily, once students completed their fifth year and taken their O.W.L.S., the classes thinned out thanks to the fact that they are taking classes based on the field that they wished to go into. Yet, Hermione just shrugged and feigned innocence. She thought Professor Jasper would become exhausted, but she had no doubt that she would do her best to accomplish what she had come to do.
Neville joined them in the compartment and in the game of exploding snap. Rosaleen poked her finger into Persephone's cage and rubbed the tuft of hair on the cat's neck. Rosaleen's thoughts wandered back to Grimmauld Place, where Lupin would return to alone. The Weasleys were only there until the kids went back to school and then they were to return home to the Burrow.
Rosaleen didn't really know why she felt this way about Remus Lupin in particular. She had met many men in her lifetime and had safely stayed at a distance with them. Perhaps she would've taken mortal men more seriously if she too were still mortal. Attachment was particularly hard for her; she had seen generations born and die within the span that she had lived.
But Lupin was different. It had been a long time since she had felt anything other that guilt and the need for redemption. What she felt around him was hope.
And worry. She worried about him.
Hunting and ridding evil had numbed her in the smallest sense. She did not worry when on certain missions or about herself because she felt that she had the upper hand. Yet, Lupin had the ability to make her feel vulnerable. Rosaleen worried about him when he was alone; she knew what thoughts could appear when one was alone.
She imagined him at the moment, isolated in the dank confines at Grimmauld Place, which up until that morning, was full of warmth and company. Perhaps he was thinking of her. Rosaleen shook the thought from her head and pulled her jacket around her. She leaned into the window and felt the pull of sleep in her eyes.
The noise of the compartment fell away and Rosaleen found herself in what seemed to be a library. Thick, leather-bound tomes of every shade sitting on shelves of the deepest, polished wood. She was standing next to a table that accommodated the books and study materials of two students; a girl with sunset-colored hair and a boy with tawny, unkempt hair. Rosaleen bent down for a closer look.
It was the seventeen year old version of Remus Lupin.
The pretty red-haired girl shook her head and looked to the clock on the wall. Her green, familiar eyes sparkled in the bit of sunlight that peeped in through the windows.
"I can't imagine where they have gone, Remus." The girl spoke up in a tone that Rosaleen could not discern as worried or irritated.
"Well, if James and Sirius are up to their normal activities, I would venture a guess and say that they have gotten a detention by now." Lupin cracked a wry smile and Rosaleen noticed the way that he looked at the girl in front of him.
Before either of them could speak again, two teenage boys appeared from the stacks of books and waved to the two at the table. One boy had short, unmanageable dark hair that stuck up in an unruly fashion in the back and wore glasses. He looked just like...Harry Potter. The second boy smiled mischievously and whispered as not to get caught.
"Lily! Remus! Come down to the lake with us!" Lupin looked up with a knowing smile and shook his head.
"What did you and James do now, Sirius?" Sirius raised an eyebrow and still beckoned for them both to come.
"Don't have time to tell you at the moment. Snivellus is on his way." Rosaleen heard the girl named Lily sigh in a frustrated tone behind her.
"Not again, James." The bespectacled boy took her by the hand urged her to walk with him.
"Don't worry, Lilly. It was nothing that he could not handle and learn from." Lily sighed again, picked up her books and allowed James to pull her toward the library door. She turned and called over her shoulder to Lupin.
"Are you coming, Renus?" He looked up from his book and nodded.
"I'll be down in a little while. There are still a few things that I have to look up." James and Lilly nodded and waved while Sirius still stuck his head out from the bookshelf.
"Better make it fast, Moony. See you outside." She watched as Sirius caught up with Lilly and James and then turned her attention to Lupin. Rosaleen knew all too well what the look on his face meant.
Rosaleen heard the train come to a grinding halt and awoke with a start to find Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione all donning their school robes. She looked around as to gain her bearings and Ron spoke up.
"We were just about to wake you, Professor. We're here." Rosaleen stood up, buttoned her jacket and gathered her shoulder bag and Persephone in her case. Students began bustling in the walkways outside their compartment. As she began to follow the teenagers out of the train, Hermione gave her a sideways glance and shook her head.
"You should change, Professor. We go straight to the Great Hall from here." Rosaleen looked down at her clothes and then nodded in return.
"Thank you, Hermione. Go ahead, I will see you all inside." Rosaleen sat down and moved to dig in her shoulder bag through her books and her spare parchment to pull out her new robes. They were a deep purple so dark that it could trick the eye to think it was black.
She slid the robes over her head and then once again moved to dig in her bag. She rummaged around the bottom and pulled out her hairbrush. Rosaleen arranged her slept-on hair into a long, loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. She then picked up her luggage once more and made her way off the train. She felt like a very convincing imposter. Was she really ready for this?
Mustering what courage she had, the new Professor stepped off the Hogwarts Express and looked around her new surroundings. Hogwarts castle loomed in the distance and it was quite unlike anything that she had seen before.
Black carriages were transporting the students to the castle and were pulled by great winged beasts. Rosaleen had never seen the beasts before, but had read about them in the books that Lupin had loaned to her. They were Thestrals, creatures who could only be seen by those who had encountered death.
At that moment, she wondered if she could see them more clearly than anybody possibly could. Suddenly, a carriage stopped before her and Rosaleen stepped into it and sat down.
Thoughts raced through her mind about the events that were about to occur. So much faith had been sent in her direction. Could she live up to it? Or would she fail?
She had never really been given charge of anything as fragile as young, mortal lives. Her work was private and no one had become close to her, save for the priests at St. Marinas. It was so foreign to need and be needed.
For the first time in over a century, Rosaleen Jasper was scared.
As the carriage slowed to a halt, Rosaleen stepped out and found herself face to face with the serious features of Minerva McGonagall. Rosaleen greeted the witch with a mildly petrified grin.
"There you are, Professor Jasper. Come with me or we shall be late for the sorting." Professor McGonagall spun on her heel and led Rosaleen through the threshold of the castle doors.
She lost McGonagall's pace and looked upwards as paintings moved and the staircases changed directions. Realizing that she had fallen behind, Rosaleen doubled her steps and was soon walking side by side with McGonagall.
"Should I not go to my quarters first and leave my things?" McGonagall shook her head and continued walking towards the Great Hall.
"There's no time for that. If you leave it with the rest of the luggage that belongs to the students, it will be taken care of." McGonagall pointed to where a great pile of luggage sat. Rosaleen looked down at her mewing kitten and then back to the witch.
"Even my kitten?" McGonagall stopped in her tracks before the Hall door and looked the slightest bit irritated with Rosaleen.
"For Merlin's sake, your kitten will be fine, girl." Rosaleen took notice of the look and quickly placed her shoulder bag and Persephone on the floor with the rest of the luggage and felt comfort in the fact that there were cages with owls and cats nearby.
She hurried to the door beside Professor McGonagall and watched as the latter swung the doors wide open. Rosaleen tried very hard not to look agape of what sprawled out in front of her. There were four very long tables of students all clad in their Hogwarts robes and sitting with their houses. The ceiling above looked like the nighttime sky and candles floated in midair effortlessly.
She felt the eyes of curious students on her from either direction. Rosaleen kept her chin up and tried not to look lost or dumbfounded as she followed McGonagall towards the raised staff table in the front. She saw a few familiar faces as she approached; Professors Dumbledore and Snape. McGonagall pointed to the vacant chair in between Snapeand a pleasant looking witch.
"There you go, Professor Jasper. Take a seat between Professor Sprout and Professor Snape. The sorting is about to begin." She gave Rosaleen a firm nudge.
Rosaleen walked briskly to the seat and sat down. Snape shot a furtive look in her direction. As she opened her mouth to speak to him, Professor Sprout turned to her and offered out her hand.
"You must be Professor Jasper. I am very happy to finally meet you. I'm Professor Sprout, head of Hufflepuff house and instructor of Herbology. Quite an undertaking, teaching two subjects. I can't even say the last time someone even attempted."
"It's very good to meet you, Professor Sprout." Rosaleen tried not to look stunned by the comment and shook Professor Sprout's hand quickly. She looked out over the tables of students and emitted a barely-audible sigh. Rosaleen heard a chuckle to her left and then heard Snape speak.
"Bite off more than you can chew?" Rosaleen swallowed the lump of uncertainty that had collected in her throat and replied in a strong, but quiet tone.
"I don't believe so, Professor Snape." But Rosaleen felt a tinge of doubt in her belly. Surely someone in Grimmauld Place would've told her if something had not been done and should not be attempted.
Before Snape had a chance to respond, Professor McGonagall called the entire Hall to attention. She stood by a stool that housed the shabbiest looking, patched-up hat that she had ever seen. Soon she called the first years forward and then began to call the children's names. One after one, they answered and stepped up to find out what house they would live under for the next seven years of their lives.
Rosaleen clapped as students were sorted into Ravenclaw and then welcomed to their table by their elder classmates. The new classmen in her house included Imogen Holcomb, Rowan Steeple and his twin sister Beth, Geoffrey Doolittle, Victoria Leighton, Toby Barnesworth, Nicola Banks, Jonathan Wright and Annaliese Cooke. Rosaleen made a mental note to find the Ravenclaw Tower and the common room to officially introduce herself to the students.
As the sorting ceremony came to a halt, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet and called out to the audience of anxiously awaiting students. They all turned to him with rapt attention and he raised his hands in welcome.
"And thus begins another year at Hogwarts. Before we commence with the feast, I thought I would make the announcement for the start of notices. Professor Filtwick is taking some much needed time off and is enjoying a year of sabbatical abroad. Filling in for him in Charms and as head of Ravenclaw is Professor Rosaleen Jasper..." Rosaleen felt all of the eyes in the room turn to her with curiosity.
"It is customary to stand in such situations, Professor." Snape hissed in a apathetic way. As Rosaleen stood up so everyone could get a good look at her, she heard Professor Dumbledore continue.
"Professor Jasper is a very gifted witch that comes to Hogwarts via Boston. In addition to her duties in Professor Filtwick's stead, she has also consented to step into the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor." She listened as the entire hall took in a surprised gasp and looked closely to scrutinize the young-looking witch.
Unfazed by the response, Dumbledore concluded his introduction, "Please welcome Professor Jasper!"
Loud applause came from the direction of the Ravenclaw table and from the section of the Gryffindor table that housed Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Thankful and relieved by the response, Rosaleen smiled and bowed her head as a gesture. As the clapping subsided, Rosaleen eased back into her chair with a renewed bit of confidence.
Professor Dumbledore continued with other notices and Rosaleen listened at full attention. After mentioning that the Forbidden Forrest is out of bounds and that Mr. Filch would not tolerate any magic in the hallways, Dumbledore smiled and waved his hands.
"There is no more to be said but this; tuck in."
What seemed to be endless amounts of food magically appeared onto the tables. Rosaleen looked on as the students happily dug in to their meals. It occurred to her at this point that eating in front of the whole school like this on a daily basis would prove to be a very daunting task.
Rosaleen managed to ladle out some soup and a helping of black pudding and made a strong effort to clear most of it from her dishes. As the feast ended and the students were lead to their quarters by the prefects, the Headmaster made his way over to her.
"I hope that you are finding everything to your liking, Professor?" Rosaleen smiled at Dumbledore and nodded.
"Indeed, I am. The castle is marvelous." Dumbeldore's eyes twinkled lightly and he returned the smile she had given him.
"Good. I will have Professor Snape show you to your quarters. I believe you will find a package there that arrived from Boston earlier this afternoon. Now, you should retire for the evening. I fear that tomorrow will prove to be a busy day and you must get acclimated. Have a good evening, Professor." Rosaleen nodded solemnly and watched as the Headmaster approached the Potions Master.
Snape didn't looked thrilled about the task, but consented anyway. As Dumbledore walked on, Snape gave Rosaleen a aloof look and motioned for her to follow him. She sighed and rolled her eyes as Snape turned on his heel briskly and led her out of the Great Hall.
Rosaleen kept two paces behind him, not really wanting to carry on with any more verbal jabs. He lead her upstairs and around corners. Paintings and their subjects moved and cast a curious eye on her. He came to a halt in a quiet corridor and opened the seventh door on the left.
"Your quarters, Professor." Snape spoke lowly. Rosaleen poked her head into the room and saw a huge, four-poster bed with deep blue draperies, a mahogany desk and a matching armoire, a lovely fireplace and an overstuffed chair next to it that was being occupied by a dozing Persephone.
Rosaleen stepped in and saw her luggage piled beside the armoire and a few items on the bed. As she stepped closer, she saw that it was the package that Dumbledore had mentioned. It was covered with the familiar scrawl of Father McCarthy's script and beside it lay a blue and bronze striped scarf. Rosaleen smiled to herself as she recognized the colors belonging to the house of Ravenclaw.
She reached for the package and knew that Snape still lingered in the doorway. Rosaleen unwrapped the brown paper and found four prayer candles, two leather bound books and a velveteen pouch covered by a folded letter on the top. She opened the letter and read quietly.
Rosaleen,
I hope all is faring well in jolly old England. I thought that you may be interested in the books, your employer has made me aware of your interest in the MacDuff legacy (though you have personally studied all you could on your own). I am sorry if you feel that you have been deceived, for I knew of the predicament concerning your friend Heathcliff and the MacDuff's for sometime. Understand, Rose, that I felt myself to be the wrong person to inform you of the goings on across the pond. The tomes are from what was believed to be Heathcliff's lair outside of Venice. They were sent to the Monastery late last week from our contacts out of Rome.
As for the opera glasses and the earrings, the other fathers and I thought that you may need them if you are to take in a show.
The candles, are as always for your never-ending quest for forgiveness. I noticed that you did not take any with you and that they may prove to be beneficial.
Will send news as it comes.
God be with you,
Father McCarthy
Rosaleen opened up the pouch and found a pair of antique gold and black opera glasses and a pair of dangling, Victorian earrings adorned with blood red garnets and tiny pearls. Of course she was not angry with Father McCarthy, she assumed that he had taken a step back because he feared of meddling too much in the wizarding world. She placed the earrings and glasses back into the pouch and chuckled lightly to herself.
"News from Boston?" Rosaleen turned and saw that Snape stood in the doorjamb with his arms folded across his chest.
"Father McCarthy sent some books he acquired from the monastery's contacts in Rome. He said that they believe that the books came from Heathcliff Collinwood's last known lair outside of Venice. They contain information on the MacDuff clan." Rosaleen picked up the books and handed them to Snape for him to examine.
"I should think Dumbledore would like to see these." He turned the books over in his hands and opened them to scan a few pages.
"I will show them to him in the morning." Snape handed the books back to Rosaleen and she placed them gently on her desk. Everything he said sounded so cold and menacing, even though at the moment she did not find him to be so.
"And what about those? Why did the priest send them?" Rosaleen looked back to the package and knew that he was referring to the candles. She picked two of them up and placed them on the desk as well.
"The candles, Professor Snape, are for praying. He thought that I may want to use them." Snape let a tinge of a mildly-amused look haunt his face. Blink and it would be missed.
"Divine intervention?" He growled at her, not trying to look too curious.
"I am in need of all the help that I can get. Divine intervention is gladly welcome." Rosaleen unpacked the other two candles and set them on the mantle of the fireplace. As she stepped away with her back turned, she heard him comment.
"You present yourself as someone that is in complete control." Rosaleen sighed and turned around to face him.
"I do what I can. However, let's not pretend that we know anything about each other, Professor Snape." She remained emotionless as she looked at him. Snape nodded curtly and took a backwards step out of the door.
"I should go. I hope you find everything suitable, Professor Jasper. You should be getting to bed–take your potion." Rosaleen visibly grimaced with mention of the potion and he took notice.
"Did something happen to it?" Rosaleen avoided his steely look and nodded.
"I left it. I gave it to Remus. He needed it more than I." Snape admitted a frustrated sigh.
That bloody potion. He would have to make it for the third time.
"I will make it tonight–" Before he could finish Rosaleen shook her head and spoke up.
"Please, don't worry with it tonight. I don't want to trouble you. You can give it to me tomorrow."
Snape looked at her with an eyebrow raised, "What are you up to, Professor Jasper? You do not seem like yourself."
"I thought that since we would be working together that it would be easier if I–"
"Were passive? I daresay it does not suit you and it makes you look suspicious." Rosaleen saw a delicate wave of anger pass over him.
She couldn't understand it. She tried to be civil and he was angry and when she was angry he was angry.
"I'll bring you the potion tomorrow. Good evening." Rosaleen watched as Snape pivoted and hurried out the door. His black robes billowing wildly behind him.
A/N: Next up–Lupin's thoughts, Rosaleen's first day of classes and more about the MacDuff inheritance. Please Read and Review! Love You All!
To Marie: Thanks for the long review! I loved it! I never thought of Collinwood as Lecter–that it a pretty cool comparison! The inheritance was something that Rosaleen never knew about. She never knew her family in Scotland, and since her parents were murdered after they were cut off from Maleficent–she never really knew about Rosaleen and Rosaleen in turn never thought that any of the MacDuff's were still alive. I hope that helps. I am sorry that you are losing patience with Remus, but things will heat up soon enough in our messy little love triangle. Love ya!
To Mags4711: Thanks for the kind words! Here is the next chapter–don't worry it is not abandoned! The romance will build and get more complicated! That I promise you!
To Angel of Harlem: Collinwood will be here soon enough as well as a certain godfather in one form or another! I am just finishing up my new Halla and Boromir chapter! Full of action, it is! Anyway, were you lucky enough to get tickets to the Fleet Center shows? I got shut out of the Chicago tickets during the fan club presale and when the tickets went to the public! I am very sad-( But there is always the fall. I am glad Larry said something about it at the Grammy's last night, though. Much Love! Can't wait to hear from you!
To Dianatyne: Thanks for reading...this chapter starts the frequent Snape involvement! Things will get more interesting very quickly!
Miria: Rosaleen is going to be just a smidge stressed out by her duties in and outside of the school, but she is determined to cope. She wouldn't dare give Snape the satisfaction of seeing her struggle! Thanks fro reading!
To Larka: Thanks for the review and the suggestion of the rewording–I'll go back to look at it and make a note to change it!
AstaraelUndomiel: Don't worry, Snape is not a perv! The opera will be coming up soon! Do you have any suggestions on what opera Tonks, Lupin, Rosaleen and Collinwood should attend? I also promise you more smoochies! Stay tuned!