Hi All! I am so so SO sorry it has taken me so long to add this chapter, but as you may recall, my husband and I separated last Easter, so since then I have been without a computer. But, I have my very own now, I got my files going and now I have another chapter to add… hope you enjoy, and I promise you it won't be another 14 months before I post Chapter 14! Luv, Ricky Roo

Chapter 13 - The Message in the Mirror

The shattered look on Snape's face had been burned into Jessica's mind. Each times she closed her eyes she was reminded of his pain and felt her own agony beginning to burn in the heart of her soul. Something was wrong. Something was amiss and it tore Jessica apart not knowing just what that something was.

She was capable of feeling his emotions unlike any other witch or woman alive. She could feel his pain, his sorrow and his seldom spark of joy and content. The last moment she saw him as he walked out that door, he had withdrawn himself from her empathy and turned himself away. Snape had left her rooms knowing that it may very well be for the last time, for the future was very unclear and undetermined for both of them.

Her wants, her needs and her desires had gone with him. Jessica found it hard to believe that only a few weeks ago that future had seemed so clear. She was happy, in love and deeply loved. Jessica was still very much in love with Snape and knew that deep down in his heart he loved her too, but the search for the happiness she once had had commenced.

No longer knowing what would become of her deepest desire, Jessica quickly left her quarters and made way down a hidden corridor and into a chamber that was not meant to be discovered.

Jessica came to a large, oak door and wrapped both of her hands around the brass door handle and pulled hard. The giant door hardly budged but made a creek so loud Jessica stifled a scream and backed away. Clearly it had been some time since this door had last been opened. The forbidden corridor she had entered was dark and dusty. Only the footprints of tiny rodents could be seen in the thick layer of dust that carpeted the stone floor.

Jessica approached the door again, and still with both hands secured around the dusty handle, she pulled again. The door screeched loudly again, but still she pulled until the door was open wide enough for her to slip through.

Leaving the door open, Jessica stepped into the room and began looking around. The room was even filthier than the corridor. Windows were cracked and broken. Cobwebs stretched from every beam up to the ceiling and down along the walls where burnt out torches that had been mounted to the wall lined a hallway leading into darkness. Statues had been covered with ivory drapes that very much resembled her nurse's gown. Jessica hated the clothes she had to wear to the hospital wing and began to wonder if they had been sewn together with these tattered drapes.

As Jessica walked down the hallway she was startled once again by the sudden ignition of a bright flame. The torch closest to her now lit her path and Jessica continued walking onward. She walked slowly with caution, preparing herself for the next surprise.

The next torch also burst into flame as she approached it, making her path a little brighter. As she walked the torches lit ahead of her and slowly dimmed behind her. Spiders and mice scurried and scampered across the floor and squeaked as if communicating with each other. Jessica ignored it all and continued walking until she could make out one very large piece of furniture covered in a heavy cloth.

The last torch lit as Jessica reached the end of the hallway and she knew she had found what she was searching for. She touched her hands to the filthy cloth and slowly began pulling it off to expose the Mirror or Erised. Beneath the cloth the mirror was sparkling clean. She could see her reflection perfectly. Jessica waved her hand slowly in front of the mirror and watched herself carefully.

She had never seen the Mirror or Erised before, only heard about it. She knew what it was capable of and despite the caution her uncle had given her, Jessica stood before it needing to know her deepest desire.

With one step closer to the mirror Jessica began to see something change. Her body was slowly changing. She looked closer and watched as her slender form continued to grow. Jessica's eyes widened and her hands found way to her stomach. Her reflection continued to grow until the Jessica on the other side of the mirror appeared almost ready to give birth. She gasped softly and slowly turned sideways. Her reflection followed the motion and accordingly presented Jessica with a sight she would not easily forget.

"A baby," she whispered to herself and began to caress her flat stomach while the reflection smooth her hands over the baby. Jessica looked into the eyes of her reflection and saw herself smiling back. The smile was genuine, but something about the eyes looking back at her seemed unusual. The emerald glow that made her so unique wasn't there. Jessica found herself looking into plain green eyes. Eyes that looked very much like her father's eyes instead of Espiranza's.

Jessica looked away from the face looking back and her and continued to search for something more. She stood alone in the reflection. There was no father there with her, nor was there a ring on her finger to indicate that she desired a husband.

But I deeply desire a husband, Jessica reminded herself. She desired to be the wife of Severus Snape… didn't she?

At precisely six o'clock Jessica arrived at the Entrance Hall. She could hear the familiar voices of the Headmaster, Minister Fudge, and regrettably, Lucius Malfoy. She walked softly alongside the wall keeping herself well hidden until she could see the three wizards. She remained silent and peered around the corner still not wanting to be seen. Almost immediately after she had her uncle in her sight, Dumbledore looked her way and nodded very discreetly.

Where is Severus? She asked herself. He was nowhere to be seen and not near enough for her to even sense his presence. Jessica immediately had the distinct impression that he had no intention to see her off, and she knew why. As strong and as determined as he was, Snape could not bear to see his lover taken away from the castle by Lucius Malfoy.

Distraught and even a little angry, Jessica mounted her courage and stepped out from the darkness into the circle of wizards. Both Minister Fudge and Malfoy looked her way, greeting her accordingly.

"Miss Van Eden I presume," said the tubby Minister of Magic as he extended his hand.

Jessica looked at his short, chubby fingers and awkwardly shook his hand. "How do you do, Minister Fudge?" she said and managed a weak smile.

"Oh, very well, very well indeed, thank you." Fudge pivoted towards Dumbledore and set a hand down atop his rounded stomach. "Albus, the last time I saw your lovely grandniece, she must have been…" Fudge raised a flattened hand in front of himself and squinted as he tried to recall how tall Jessica had been when he last saw her. His hand fluctuated and he finally gave up after he settled just below his chin. "Ah, you were a tiny, little thing my dear. Look at how you've grown!"

"She is remarkably beautiful, is she not, Minister?" Lucius Malfoy said and snarled admirably at Jessica.

"Absolutely stunning, I say," the Minister agreed.

As he took a slow, deep breath in Jessica watched as Lucius' eyes looked over her body as if mentally caressing her. The butterflies in her stomach started to do summersaults. Jessica was just about to take a step back when she felt a warm hand wrap tenderly around her shoulder. Her Uncle Albus gently pulled her toward himself and adjusted his spectacles with his other hand.

"Miss Van Eden," Lucius began and bowed slightly before reaching for Jessica's hand. "A pleasure to see you, as always." Lucius brought Jessica's hand up to his lips and placed a kiss atop her hand.

Jessica struggled for a moment to free her hand but the voice in her head warned her not to. It was as if Snape had spoken directly to her, forbidding her from rejecting Lucius' feigned courtesy. Even now, her words and her actions would speak for him.

"Jessica my dear," Dumbledore spoke softly. "Minister Fudge has promised me that I – and perhaps some of the other professors from Hogwarts – will be welcome to visit you while you are in the care of Mr and Mrs Malfoy. I will come by in a couple of days to see how you have settled in."

"Thank you, uncle," Jessica said softly and gave Dumbledore a hug. "I would like that very much."

"Of course you would," Dumbledore gently pat her back before stepping away. "And I will see to it that Severus does the same," he whispered and winked quickly before turning around to face the other wizards.

She turned his way and settled into his open embrace, giving him one last hug before being taken away from the home she had grown to love. "I love you Uncle, I'm going to miss you."

"And I you, Jessica Dear," he said and squeezed her once more. "I promise, we will try to resolve this matter as quickly as possible."

"Thank you," she whispered and fought back the tears the good-bye had evoked.

"Well Miss Van Eden," Lucius held his arm out for Jessica to take and smiled crookedly. "Shall we?"

Again, Snape's voice of warning spoke to her and Jessica hesitantly looped her arm around his. Her stomach churned uncomfortably and her heart began to pound so violently she was sure Lucius could feel it, too.

Jessica turned around to bid her uncle a final farewell. Her eyes searched the Entrance Hall once more in hopes to spot the lover she would be leaving behind. He had said he would be there, and Snape did not carry a reputation for being late. He knew precisely when Lucius would be coming to take her away and that she would not be able to wait any longer. Somehow Jessica knew that no matter how long she waited there by the doors, Severus Snape would not be coming to see her off.

Although he was there to see her go, Snape was very well hidden by shadows and darkness, and too far away for Jessica to sense him.

Snape ground his teeth together and scowled down at him before Lucius brought Jessica out into the pouring rain.

A pair of house elves escorted Lucius and Jessica to a waiting horse-drawn carriage. She looked up when she heard the heavy rain pelting against the roof of a large, floating umbrella that covered the pair as the walked.

A finely dressed wizard was outside of the carriage waiting to help them inside. Lucius waved his hand, excusing the wizard from his obligation and helped Jessica into the carriage himself.

The interior of the carriage was deep crimson and the seats were soft and upholstered with black velvet. The window coverings were black and tied back so that she could see the heavy raindrops cascading down the window beside her.

Lucius stepped into the carriage right behind her and sat down next to her. He sighed and set his snakehead cane aside before turning to her and smiling.

"Do cheer up, my darling," he said. "I truly believe you will have a marvelous time staying with my wife and I at the manor."

"I somehow doubt that," Jessica snapped immediately.

Lucius chuckled softly and stretched his arm around behind her, not quite touching her. "This evening Narcissa and I have planned a dinner party in honor of your arrival. We have invited a small amount of guests who are very anxious to meet you, Jessica."

Her heart skipped a beat and Jessica quickly gave Lucius a sharp look, knowing that the said guests could be nothing but Death Eaters.

Jessica was more than thankful that the long and awkward journey to the Malfoy Manor was virtually silent. The countless hours of training and dueling had left her feeling exhausted and in dyer need of a good night's sleep. Although being condemned to the home of her worst enemy for who knew how long, Jessica knew that a peaceful sleep was going to be hard to come by… especially after being the center of attention at a formal congregation of Death Eaters.

Listening to the sound of the falling rain and watching it pour down in sheets were all that calmed her during the journey. She settled her head against the window and almost managed to rest her eyes before the carriage would hit a bump in the road and wake her.

"We're nearly there," Lucius announced and leaned toward Jessica to peer out the window. Jessica pressed her back into the seat and turned her head away as Lucius leaned his body dangerously close in front of her.

Once he sat back Jessica looked ahead through the pouring rain and could see a blur of illuminations. The manor stood tall with numerous windows brightly lit and shining through the rain. The roadway leading up to the manor was also lit by elaborate torches which were somehow charmed to be shielded from the rain.

When it arrived at the manor the carriage stopped beneath a large awning and Jessica could hear the horses sighing in relief now that the journey from Hogwarts had finally ended.

Lucius opened the door and stepped out before holding his hand out for Jessica. She grudgingly took his hand and stepped outside onto the dry cobblestone landing that led up to the main doors of the manor. Jessica took a deep breath of the fresh air. It smelled fresh and felt so cool. It was great to finally be finished with the stuffy carriage, or more importantly, it was great to not be stuck in such a small space with the man she hated most.

As he walked her up to the front doors, Jessica looked at the outside of the humungous manor. Surely it had plenty more than enough rooms to accommodate the small family, especially with their only child away at school all year.

"Your belongings have already been brought to your quarters," Lucius said. "Allow me to introduce you to my wife before I show you to your rooms."

Jessica swallowed hard as she entered his home. It was a lot brighter than she had expected. One of the first things she noticed was the large Malfoy crest mounted to the opposite wall. It very much resembled the crest of Slytherin which Jessica was sure she would come across somewhere about the home. Probably right in her new bedroom.

Even in the solitude of his own home, Lucius walked with pride, carrying his cane in hand and tapping it against the floor with every step. Jessica subtly rolled her eyes at the maneuver.

Lucius and Jessica turned a corner and walked into what must have been a formal dining room. There was a large oak table with places set for twelve, and across the room stood an attractive looking blonde woman. There was a small black cat in her arms and she was stroking it softly. The cat looked directly at Jessica and its eyes seemed to narrow.

Narcissa looked anything but happy as her husband entered the room with Jessica at his side. Her lips were thin and purses slightly. The crimson red lipstick she wore stood out boldly against her pale, white skin. She wore a black, slender fitting dress that nearly touched the floor. It was sleeveless and around her arms she wore a very expensive looking black, chenille poncho.

"Jessica, I would like to introduce you to my wife, Narcissa," Lucius said softly.

Narcissa nodded discreetly and let the cat jump out of her arms and scurry away. Narcissa walked towards Jessica and mustered a gentle smile that looked anything but pleasant. "Hello Jessica," she said. "It's an honor to finally meet you. Welcome to our home." Her voice was very soft and mellow.

"Thank you," Jessica whispered and began to admire the abundance of diamond jewelry that decorated her.

"Jessica," Lucius stepped behind her and put each of his hands on her shoulders. "I am going to let you and Narcissa get better acquainted while I entertain the guests that are about to arrive. Narcissa is going to help you find something suitable to wear for the occasion."

It was just as Jessica had suspected. Although her senses had recently altered, she could still feel the cold, dark character in each of the men and women who had come to the manor as a part of Jessica's Welcoming Committee. Lucius had no real friends who hadn't been burned with her father's mark. Although they all behaved like kings and queens, Jessica could see past all of them.

She was careful not to be drawn into conversation pertaining to Hogwarts, her uncle, Snape or any sort of magical material at all. Jessica was also thankful that she was not asked about any of those things either. The conversations were all very bland and uninteresting, and Jessica was grateful for that, too. It seemed as though everyone was anxious to meet her and talk to her, but on some level they were all afraid of her, too. Perhaps they were concerned that if they said the wrong thing it would be as fatal an error as it would be to offend the Dark Lord himself.

Once the guests had begun to leave Jessica walked herself up to her quarters and stripped herself of the abundant dress robes Narcissa had picked out for her. They were beautiful robes, but Jessica was anything but accustomed to dressing so elegantly. The robes were made of a very heavy, very silky material and they were decorated with what Jessica easily could have believed were real diamonds and emeralds. The robes were dark green, and just like Jessica could have predicted, lined with silver to compliment the Slytherin colors. Narcissa even had her wear a sparkling silver and emerald studded tiara. One of the house elves they called Pinky styled her hair and made her look and feel like some sort of Princess of Darkness.

After changing into her own comfortable nightgown, Jessica stepped out of the bathroom and stopped suddenly, gasping as her heart missed a beat. "Pinky, you gave me a fright," she said as the house elf's big, yellow eyes stared up at her with a steaming cup of tea in her hands.

"Begging your pardon miss, but I came to bring you a hot drink before you go down." Pinky held the cup of tea out for Jessica to take. "It will help you sleep tonight."

Jessica shook her head slowly. "No thank you, Pinky. I don't think anything can help me sleep." Jessica stepped around the tiny house elf, making way for her bed.

"The master always drinks a spot of tea with a drop of somniferro," the house elf continued. "Tis a potion that comes straight from the cauldrons of Hogwarts."

Jessica stopped and turned back around, looking at Pinky curiously. "This is one of Professor Snape's potions?" she asked and looked down into the cup of tea.

"In deed," Pinky confirmed. "The master trusts no other to prepare such potions as somniferro. It'll put you right to sleep, it will."

Jessica smiled down at the house elf and reached for the tea. "Well, in that case, I think I will have a cup. Thank you, Pinky." Jessica brought the cup of tea with her to bed and took a deep breath before her first sip. Her stomach rumbled as she swallowed. Despite the enormous dinner that had been served earlier in the evening, Jessica barely touched her plate. Knowing that there was a touch of Severus in her tea was all that made her willing to drink it, and it was a wonderful cup of tea. It was just hot enough and sweetened exactly to her liking. Even after only a couple of sips Jessica could feel the magic of the somniferro taking effect.

Pinky watched to be sure that Jessica had begun to drink the tea before silently disappearing from the room. She closed the bedroom door and turned around to stand foot to foot with the master of the manor.

Lucius looked down at Pinky as if he would a rotting corpse. The house elf gasped quietly and looked up at her master in fear.

"Have you done as I had asked?" Lucius questioned.

Pinky began to nod her head. "Yes, master."

"And did Miss Van Eden drink the tea?"

"Yes, master."

"Good," Lucius said and nodded. "Now get out of my sight."

After Lucius curtly excused the hard working house elf, Lucius proceeded to the depths of his own crypt into a hidden room that even his own wife never knew existed. It was where he stored the majority of his illegal contraptions and other sources of black magic. By means of black magic, the hidden room was completely undetectable and therefore everything that was in it was unobtainable should the Ministry decide to set a raid upon his estate.

Tonight he would be using the Black Orb to probe within Jessica's mind to discover just how close she and Snape had grown over the last year. Lucius was skeptical about Snape's desire to carry out the Dark Lord's orders, and if Snape was not up for the task, Lucius certainly was.

Not knowing how much time was left before the return of the Dark Lord, Lucius wasted no time putting his malevolent plan to work. He needed to gain Jessica's trust and affection as Snape had, and if it meant using all of the manipulation and black magic in the world to get it, so be it.

Knowing that the somniferro in the tea would have put Jessica right into a deep sleep, Lucius prepared himself for the awful deed he was about to commit. He took a deep breath and approached the Black Orb.

Lucius carefully set his hands down around the Black Orb and closed his eyes. His fingers wandered around the smooth, round surface of the orb until he could feel the heat of its power slither up his arms and gradually envelope his entire body. He breathed deeply and opened his eyes.

The orb looked as though it were consumed by a black, inky cloud. It swirled around within its tiny realm waiting patiently for the command of its user. "Jessica Van Eden," he whispered to the orb.

At the sound of his voice, the black cloud quickly began to dissipate and what was once a blur became an unmistakable image of Jessica alone in her quarters, fast asleep in her bed. Lucius smile down at her image in the orb and then closed his eyes as the sensation of the orb's black magic consumed him and brought him to his victim in a highly forbidden level of consciousness.

His mind went completely blank and his entire body felt as if it had been sucked through a black hole. The sickening motion of his body's transformation overruled his senses until it was complete.

Once Lucius felt his feet plant firmly on solid ground, he opened his eyes. His lips spread into an awful grin. His body and the surroundings felt as real as if he'd simply walked up the stairs and into Jessica's bedroom without the aid of his black magic. Lucius now stood at the foot of Jessica's bed gazing down at her in sleep.

She was lying on her side. Each of her hands was raised just above her head and her bedcovers were tucked around her body just below her bosom. Lucius carefully watched her chest rise with each tiny breath she took.

After gently sitting himself down on the edge of the bed, Lucius brushed his bare hand across her face, pushing the loose pieces of hair out of his way. Jessica flinched only slightly at his touch and a gentle moan sounded from her throat.

With his thumb, Lucius caressed the soft skin just below Jessica's ear, rubbing her gently back and forth. He had just found a steady pulse when he drew his hand away. Lucius gazed hungrily at her soft, ivory flesh and licked his lips before pressing his hands into the mattress on either side of Jessica's head to stead himself as he leaned down to kiss her.

Jessica flinched again when his wet lips touched where his thumb had caressed her. His mouth opened to draw her warm, moistened skin in between his lips. She felt so hot and so real Lucius almost forgot that his body was, in actuality, floors beneath Jessica's bedchambers with his hands still wrapped firmly around the Black Orb.

Another moan surpassed Jessica's lips and breathed into Lucius' ear. He backed away slightly, forgetting how real it always felt to be this far inside his victim's mind. He smiled again and resumed feeding his intimate desires with Jessica's savory flesh. He let his tongue dart out of his mouth and dance along the crest of Jessica's jawbone. He could see a trail of goose bumps erecting along her throat where he had kissed her.

Lucius gently blew across her wet skin and listened to the erotic moan escape from Jessica's lips. Her hands lifted, coming close to touching his face before falling back down onto the pillow. She breathed deeply and then slowly opened her mouth to utter a gentle, "Severus."

As he watched her lips close again, Lucius raised his thumb to stroke across her pink, bow-shaped lips. They felt even softer than he could imagine, and before he could help himself, he wondered what those lips would feel like on the most intimate parts of his anatomy.

Patience, he thought to himself. All in good time.

Before his imagination ran away without him, Lucius dipped his head down to touch his lips back to her throat. He spread his lips across her neck, taking in every patch of skin he could reach, enjoying the feel of her far more than he imagined he would.

"Oh, Severus," he heard Jessica moan dreamily. Her breathing became heavier and he could feel her hands begin to thread through his long, blonde hair. "Severus."

At the sound of his comrade's name, Lucius closed his mouth around Jessica's to silence her. Jessica's lips moved softly beneath his as she mounted up enough consciousness to return his kiss. Her hands began to press firmly against each side of his head and in another moment Lucius felt Jessica opening up to him.

He wasted no time coaxing her into letting him thrust his eager tongue into her mouth. She moaned erotically as his tongue tasted each corner of her mouth. Her soft lips moved against his and encouraged him to advance on her. She opened her mouth wide to him and began to respond with the same heated desire to taste him.

Despite her unconsciousness, Lucius let Jessica take the lead until it was too much. Lucius rapidly pulled back, breaking his lips from hers. Even as his body bear no hindrance to breathe while in the room locked with the orb, the dark entity with Jessica needed more than a few deep breaths to recover from their long, passionate kiss.

Jessica's chest heaved with the same need to catch her breath. Her hands fell from Lucius' hair and her fingers fisted naturally into her palms. Her lips gaped open slightly as if in need of another kiss. Lucius stared hungrily at the glossy wetness coating her lips wanting to taste them again.

Her eyes opened slowly and then fell shut again. In the split second Lucius saw her emerald green eyes, he could tell that they were still clouded with sleep. She would awake in her dream soon enough, and to see him there on her bed would be startling enough to shock her into full consciousness. If he dared wait around for her to wake, the Black Orb would surely extract him from her subconscious without warning.

He would have to go back another night.