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Chapter 12
Jade woke up, eyes wide and breathing heavily. The room was still dark and she could hear Hermione's soft breathing. She began to calm. Everything was fine. It was nothing more than a nightmare. It wasn't real. She'd dreamt that she was back with the Dursley's, that her room was still the cupboard under the stairs and that she was still treated like a slave. But it hadn't happened. She was at Hogwarts, and at Christmas she would be able to go home and see her parents and the rest of her odd, dysfunctional family, and everything would be back to normal. The nightmare probably came from the change in her life. After all, going to boarding school after being home tutored was bound to have some sort of effect on a person's psyche, right?
Grabbing her watch, Jade saw that there were a couple of hours until she had to be up. She knew she wouldn't get more sleep, so she grabbed the heavily notated book on her bedside table and began reading, and trying to make the process explained quicker. She had already gotten the process down to a couple of weeks. Perhaps she could start on it later that day, if she got the chance. It would definitely be an advantage. Drawing the curtains around her bed, she muttered a quiet 'lumos' and her wand lit up. She began to read, her quick brain processing and breaking down the information and changing it to make the spell quicker and more efficient.
By the time Hermione started to stir, Jade was sure she was ready to start the process. She loved the idea and was willing to use the original, tedious and long process if her new one failed. If not, then she had made quite a breakthrough and this would make the spell more readily available to people. She shut the book and placed it in her draw, before heading into the bathroom for a quick shower before drying off and getting dressed. Hermione was up by then, and blearily walking round, gathering everything together.
"Looks like I may have to get a coffee machine too. I forgot to ask dad about the phone last night, Hermione, I'll call again this evening and ask then, along with the coffee machine. I think you could use it in the mornings."
"I'd appreciate it." She said, yawning. "A bit of caffeine would do me good."
Jade soon discovered that Potions was a subject that she loved- apart from the man teaching it. Professor Snape seemed to hate her from the moment she walked into the classroom. He singled her out and was always trying to criticise her for the tiniest detail, and put her off. She could swear that he wanted her to fail. Finally, she'd had enough.
"I don't know what I've ever done to you, sir, but I'm just a first year student who has just started brewing a potion for the first time, so, you should expect me to make some mistakes. I may have worked with chemicals in the past- and it's not too different, I'll admit- but I doubt that even you made a perfect potion on your first time!"
The whole class was silent. Not one of her fellow classmates could believe that she'd just talked back to the harsh, and slightly scary, teacher. But yet again, none of them could calm the hulk either, and they'd be shocked to see her do that too.
"Miss Stark." He said in a low, angry tonne. "Stay behind after class." He moved on then, but didn't return to inspect her cauldron for the rest of the lesson. When the bell went, Jade packed away and waited behind her desk.
"You will serve detention with me this Friday evening after dinner, Miss Stark. I can see you are just as arrogant as your father."
"I didn't know you knew my father, sir." Jade said. "He never mentions anyone called Snape."
"Your birth father, Potter!"
"Oh, you mean my adoptive father! Didn't Professor McGonagall tell you? I'm a Stark by birth, and a Potter by adoption." She said. Snape took a step back, as if shocked. "Let this be a lesson- judge someone on who they are- not who you believe their parents to be. Do I still have that detention sir? Or did you want to give it to me just because you believed I was the daughter of James Potter?"
"The detention is still on, Miss Stark. You still talked back to me, showing a lack of respect for your betters."
"With all due respect, sir, you have done nothing to earn my respect. Just because you are my teacher, doesn't mean I should automatically respect you. In fact, your attitude reminds me of my biological mother's sister and brother-in-law. And, I'll be honest; the extremes their attitude took them to landed them in prison. So, let's just agree that we should both earn each other's respect, instead of either of us demanding it, shall we?"
His dark eyes narrowed as he assessed her. "Very well, Miss Stark." He said. He hated Petunia. He did not want to be compared to that woman in any way.
Jade smiled. She knew she had somehow won this battle, but she still had detention. "I'll see you next lesson then, sir. And of course, for detention."
She grabbed her things, and left the dungeons. Hermione, Neville and Ernie were waiting for her outside.
"You didn't lose us points, did you?" Ernie asked.
"No, Ernie, I didn't. I just got a detention, and managed to come to an agreement with Professor Snape."
"A detention? On the second day of school?" Hermione asked. "I can't believe you managed that."
"I can." Jade said. "I'm surprised I didn't get landed in detention yesterday."
"I'm just glad to be out of there. Professor Snape is terrifying." Neville said.
"I don't see it." Jade said.
Her three new friends looked at her as if she was crazy.
"What? I've spent a lot of time in New York. There are a lot of people there that are more scary than Snape."
"I doubt it." Neville said.
"Oh, then I am so inviting you to visit so I can show you old news broadcasts of some of the super villains that have been running around- and then you'll realise Snape seems more akin to a cuddly bunny rabbit than anything scary."
"Thinking about it, you're probably right." Hermione agreed.
The four then headed of to defence against the dark arts, where they realised- it was a joke. Their teacher was a stuttering terrified man, who would jump at his own shadow.
"It's ridiculous, I mean, how are we supposed to learn anything from him?" Ernie asked.
"I know what you mean, Ernie. He's afraid of his own subject." Jade said.
"You have to admire Quirrell though." Hermione said. "I mean, he's afraid of it, yes, but he's still trying to teach it."
"She has a point." Neville agreed. "It is admirable of him."
"It would also be admirable if he acknowledged that he's unable to properly educate us, and stepped down from the post to allow someone who won't jump at every little movement to take the job." Jade said.
"The ickle firstie has a point, Gred." A voice said.
"You're right, Feorge." Another said.
The four first years whipped round and saw two red headed twins, who both wore identical, mischievous, grins. They looked as if they could be related to Ron Weasley.
"Who are you?" Jade asked.
"Well, this is my twin, Fred Weasley," One said.
"And this is my twin, George Weasley. We need,"
"To talk,"
"To Jade alone." They finished together.
"Why? Can't you talk to me with my friends?" Jade asked.
"Can they keep a secret?" Fred asked.
"Who do you think we are? Gossips?" Hermione asked, affronted.
The twins held their hands up in surrender. "Well, do you trust them?" George asked Jade.
"I don't see why I can't. They haven't given me any reason not to trust them." Jade said.
"In here then." Fred said, leading them into an empty classroom.
"So, what's going on?" Jade asked.
"Dumbledore and quite a few members of our family have decided to meddle in your life." Gorge came straight out and said it.
"I knew about Dumbledore already, but why your family?"
"Look, they know who you are." Fred said.
"So do I. Jade Stark, biological daughter of Tony Stark, billionaire genius, and adoptive daughter of Virginia 'Pepper' Stark, nee Potts."
"But, they think you're Jade Stark." Both twins said.
"Oh, yeah, biological daughter of Lilly Potter, nee Evans, and adoptive daughter of James Potter." Jade added. "Now, seeing as Dumbledore knows this, and has probably already told your family anyway, I don't mind passing the knowledge to you as you seem to be trying to warn me of something. But if it becomes common knowledge, and I find out it's your fault, you will regret it, understood?"
Both nodded.
"Good, now, what did you want to tell me?"
"They are trying to form a plan so you'll die defeating Voldemort, and they'll get the entire Potter fortune."
"Well, they can throw that plan down the drain. I don't plan on dying, and if I do, they won't see a single knut or cent of any of my money. If it doesn't go to dad and mum, then it'll be split between worthy charities and he same group my dad funds. But, like I said, I don't plan on dying."
"We're afraid they'll start using love potions on you."
"Don't you worry about that. Dad'll blow up any boy who I start dating, and trust me, he has access to the technology that will be able to find them anywhere and blow them to smithereens. If I suddenly start saying I'm in love with some guy- that guy won't last long. And if the person the potion is tied to is dead, then it won't be much use, will it?"
Both twins looked confused.
"Her dad is a very well known, and successful, inventor. His company has supplied the military with weapons for years, not to mention the other things." Hermione explained.
"I'd feel sorry for them twin, but technology doesn't work round magic." George said.
"Sadly twin, you're correct." Fred agreed.
"Never underestimate the abilities of the Starks." Jade said, grinning mischievously. "Oh, do you know if everything that Dumbledore eats is still turning into lemon drops?"
"Yes." Both twins said.
"Good." Jade said, grinning.
"That was you?" Fred asked.
"I never said that." Jade said.
"Oh Jade you didn't." Hermione sighed.
"How did you even manage the spell that would be needed?" Neville asked.
"Let's just say, one of my tutors thought a duplicating and a transference spell would be useful to me."
"Gred, I think we've found us a new partner in crime."
"Me too Feorge. Me too."
"You're pranksters?" Jade asked.
"Jade, you already have a detention from Professor Snape." Ernie said.
"I know. But I think this will be fun." Jade said, grinning at the two red heads.
"Great!" They said. "Meet us on the seventh floor corridor tonight at six, by the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy trying to teach some trolls to tap dance."
"See you then." Jade said. The twins left the room and Jade turned to her three friends. "That went well I thought." She said.
"Are you really Jade Potter?" Ernie asked.
Jade sighed. "Ernie, please, don't make a big deal out of this." She said. "I'm famous for something that I didn't even do! I can't talk about what really happened, but trust me when I say, I didn't survive that curse on my own."
"But you did survive." Neville said.
"But not because of anything I did. And, I'm Jade Stark. Tony Stark really is my biological father. Please, don't make out like it changes me. You were getting to know me before you knew what happened when I was one," She looked at each of her three new friends in turn, "did I seem like I was some all powerful being? Does this information really change who you see me as? It's not something I can help. Or remember."
"No, Jade. It doesn't change you." Hermione said. "Does it?" She asked, looking at the boys.
"Not at all." Neville said.
"No, it doesn't." Ernie said.
"Good. I'm glad." Jade said. They headed back to the Hufflepuff common room, where Jade went to her room, and caled home, telling her parents about what had happened, and asking her dad for a coffee maker, and if he could send a magically adapted phone so Hermione could call her own parents.
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