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 Fourteen: Building A Mystery
"You come out at night
that's when the energy comes
and the dark side's light
and the vampires roam..."
— Sarah McLachlan
"Building A Mystery"
Rosaleen sat in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom and mulled over the first words that she could possibly say to the sixth years. Everything she thought of sounded ridiculous and inarticulate. On the first day of the class, should she come off as strict and hard-nosed or cool and laid back?
It was a conundrum and a dilemma to say the least.
As the spacious classroom began to fill up, Rosaleen smiled as a few familiar faces appeared in the desks in front of her. Harry, Ron and Hermione filed in along with the other sixth years. She stood up from her chair and waited until the students got situated.
Fear clotted in the base of her chest and she felt like chuckling. Rosaleen had faced and fought creatures and villains for hundreds of years, yet the only thing that seemed to really scare her was standing in front of thirty teenagers and failing miserably.
Rosaleen cleared her throat and hoped the class would come to order when she intended it to. Much to her surprise, it did.
"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. My name is Professor Jasper. All I ask of you in this class is that you do your best, pay attention and be respectful of others in the class."
As the last word trailed from her lips, Rosaleen heard a snicker from the second row. A boy with white blonde hair rolled his eyes openly. Rosaleen recognized him by description as Draco Malfoy. Harry, Ron and Hermione had much to say about him and Rosaleen knew from her work with the Order that his father was a Death Eater.
Rosaleen merely smiled and gave him a sideways glance, "Is there something I said that you take issue with, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco chuckled, shook his head and retorted rather pointedly, "Not at all, Professor. However, I am under the inclination that respect has to be earned, rather than blindly given."
Rosaleen's eyebrows furrowed. Was that comment directed at her? She pushed back the feelings of indignation and tried to think of something calm and nonchalant to say. Yet, before she could, Ron Weasley beat her to it.
"Shut your mouth, Malfoy. You haven't done anything to earn respect, all you do is humiliate and bully people."
Harry pulled at the sleeves of Ron's robes and Hermione smacked her forehead with exasperation. Before Rosaleen could step in, Draco stood and drew his wand and Harry rose to join Ron on the opposite side.
Rosaleen felt the pull of anger in her and kept her feelings in check for fear that her eyes would turn yellow. She drew her own wand and put herself between Harry, Ron and Draco.
"Wands away this minute! I am the professor and as long as you are under my supervision you all will respect one another. This will not happen again. I assure you all that you will not wasn't to cross or question my authority. Now sit down!"
"But..."Ron said weakly. Rosaleen knew that he was only standing up for himself and possibly for her. She cast him a gentle look and motioned for him to sit down. She hated coming down on Ron and Harry, but no matter how she felt–her duty in the classroom was to be impartial.
"Open your books to page 8..." She hadn't planned on using the books that day, but Rosaleen felt that hands on exercises left too much room for comments and altercations.
After class; Harry, Hermione and Ron made their way through the corridor leading toward the great hall. Ron looked frustrated by Malfoy's words to Professor Jasper. Harry sighed thickly and wished that he had gotten in one good spell before the Professor had broken up the confrontation.
"Someday I'll clobber Malfoy and everybody will cheer," Ron said moodily. Hermione nodded, but ultimately sided with the Professor.
"Professor Jasper was right in her actions, though. She is not in the position to play favorites. The last thing she needs is good old Lucius Malfoy coming around."
Even though Harry knew Hermione was right, he too would love to lay into Draco Malfoy and watch as he received the comeuppance he deserved. Now that Professor jasper was with the Order, she could not afford to have her cover blown.
Harry's mind was piqued with interest about the mysterious and important work that Professor Jasper was preforming for the organization. Perhaps he, Hermione and Ron would be lucky enough to stumble across the secret, like they had so many times before.
As the day was ending, Rosaleen finished her return letter to Lupin, though she would not send it until after the full moon to make sure that he was well enough to read and receive it. She picked up the book from her night table, the one that Father McCarthy had obtained from Rome. She wondered if Snape had made any progress on his end of the research.
Rosaleen floundered for a moment and mulled over the idea to visit Snape in his dungeon. Ultimately, it was a very bad idea. She would hate herself if anything of an indiscretion should happen.
She knew she was only considering it because she had become accustomed to being around people in England. Rosaleen Jasper was lonely and she was missing the musty comfort of Grimmauld Place most of all.
Rosaleen held the book to her chest and resolved to venture to the dungeon only to talk about the MacDuff clan. She really did want to know about her family and why a villain like Heathcliff Collinwood would align himself with the even more villainous Voldemort and why they both seemed to be interested with her ancestral inheritance.
As she turned the doorknob to leave, Persephone raised her head to yowl at her owner. Rosaleen shook her head and chuckled at the kitten.
"Ah, what do you know? Go back to bed, you lazy thing."
Severus Snape stood over a simmering cauldron in his dungeon as he heard a firm rap on the door. When he turned around, he saw the familiar presence of Rosaleen Jasper. She eyed him and clutched a book to her chest. Snape raised an eyebrow, he never thought that she would venture into his classroom. She seemed a bit of a recluse and only managed to appear in the great hall for a meal once a day.
"Looking for something, Professor?" He withheld his standard sneer and watched as she approached.
"I was just wondering how the research was going with the MacDuff's?" Rosaleen looked curious and her large, green eyes probed him for answers. Snape sighed and walked over to the book that laid on his desk. He had finished it just an hour before.
"Ah, yes. I didn't discover that much we already didn't know. They were a pureblood wizarding family, dating back to ancient Scottish history. First known member was Maeve MacDuff, who some said was royalty–a princess or something of the like. Her great-great granddaughter is Maleficent MacDuff. The fact that there is no mention of the male ancestors with the exception of Maleficent's lost son Martin, leads me to believe that the family's power is more predominant in the female members. The family highly values their matriarchy."
Her mouth fell open a sliver and she sighed, "No mention of any sort of inheritance?"
Snape shook his head no and watched as her cherubic face fell in the slightest way. He thought that she resembled one of the weeping, marble angels perched in a muggle cemetery. Rosaleen Jasper, much like the sullen seraphim, often seemed cold, distant and solemn. Those are the same things that others seemed to say about him.
She gestured to the door, "I suppose I better go. I appreciate all the help."
As she turned to leave, something possessed the normally restrained Snape and he caught her by the wrist. Rosaleen spun on her heel; she looked surprised but not frightened.
"Would you care for a cup of tea?"
She smiled a bit, hearing the soft tone in which he spoke and nodded, "That would be lovely."
It was strange, really, that Rosaleen found herself in Severus Snape's office sipping tea in a rather comfortable silence. When he asked her about classes, she recalled the run-in with the Gryffindor and Slytherin sixth years.
"It seems odd that those houses should constantly be paired together, since they hold such an extreme dislike for one another."
Rosaleen shifted uncomfortably, wondering if she had insulted him, being that he was the head of Slytherin. However, he merely nodded and went on with his tea until he asked in a dry tone, "Why did Collinwood kill your parents?"
She shrugged, "He killed many. He has no regard for human life. He is a monster."
Snape looked unsatisfied with her answer, "Come now, there must have been more to it than that if you are so set on revenge. You seem so passionate about it."
"I am. My parents were my world and I will avenge them by putting an end to Collinwood's too long reign. Would you not do the same if it were your family, Professor?" She was nearly screaming at him. How could he be so cold? She had thought they had made progress.
He looked at her darkly and nodded his head, "I would do the same. I am sorry if I angered you, for that was not my goal. I was only attempting to understand you better along with the root of your darkness."
Rosaleen felt her features soften and she eased her tea cup and saucer on to the desk as she stood.
"Thank you for the tea. If you will excuse me, I have a letter to send to Remus Lupin. Goodnight, Professor Snape." She gave him a weak, near-apologetic smile and exited his office quickly. Besides, she had her own reading on the MacDuff's to accomplish.
Three days later, after the full moon had waned, Remus Lupin returned to Number 12 Grimmauld Place a little weaker and scruffier than when he had left. He limped into the kitchen to see that Molly Weasley had stopped by that morning. She left him a note on the counter that read:
Remus,
I left you some food in the icebox, I suspect you'll need your energy after the past three days. Buckbeak has been fed and fresh sheets are on your bed.
Take care,
Molly
P.S. Rosaleen sent you a letter to the Burrow. She was worried about security. The letter is on the kitchen table, I know you are anxious to read it. She is, after all, a very lovely girl.
Lupin smiled in spit of himself, Molly Weasley was maternal to a fault; but she was right to suspect that he was anxious to hear from Rosaleen. He sat at the table and picked up the envelope that had his name written across it in her angular and flowery script. Lupin opened it and began to read:
Remus,
Hogwarts is treating me very well, though I daresay that it is you who should still occupy the Defense post. You are a wonderful and patient teacher and I can only hope to achieve such status as you. The students still talk about you with such fondness. You left such a wonderful impression.
It is a little lonely without the hustle and bustle of the house. However, my charges in Ravenclaw seem to like me and the Charms classes are going smoothly, thanks in part to Professor Filtwick's detailed "suggestions" that he left in his desk for me to find.
I would love to meet you on the first Hogsmeade weekend, Remus. I keep expecting to hear your voice or see you in the Great Hall. Besides, there is much to discuss concerning our dear friend that we have been searching for.
I hope that you are doing well. Please take care of yourself and write whenever you can. I truly enjoy hearing from you. Please write in return to let me know where we should meet.
Sincerely,
Rosaleen
Lupin sat back in his chair, relieved that she had consented to meet him. He had been plagued with thoughts of her for days and what the voice of Sirius had said. Maybe he should throw caution to the wind. There was nothing wrong in pursuing a relationship with her. Rosaleen was interested in him–it was he who had pushed her away and not the other way around.
Nevertheless, her letter gave him hope.
A/N: Today is the big day! Book six will be released at midnight! Hooray! Anyway, in the next chappie: Rosaleen and Remus in Hogsmeade. Harry, Hermione and Ron decide to do a little snooping. A night at the Opera, a little romance, one of Rosaleen's secrets is revealed, someone gets hurt and Heathcliff Collinwood makes his appearance!
Please Read & Review! Love Ya–
Leah P!
To Lupinsiriusluva: I didn't mix the names to get Collinwood, but that would have been pretty darn creative ;-). Actually, I was just trying to think of a name suitable for a decadent vampire and one that would sound like it would be around for hundreds of years. I think I was kinda influenced by Wuthering Heights, too. I am glad you like the story! Please review again!
To Marie (aka: ManiacLyta): Here is the next chappie! I will elaborate more on the classes, I promise. Thank you so much for all of the help and suggestions. I love your lengthy reviews! I hope to hear from you soon! Love and Thanks!
To Angel of Harlem: Here I am! The next chappie will be a doozy romantically, danger-wise and plot-wise. I promise you will not be disappointed and the wait and indecision will all be worth it! Let me know what you think! Love ya!