ENIGMA

Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers.

Summary: AU: What if everything we ever read in JK Rowling’s books was real – including the people characterised? What would you do if you found yourself caught up in that reality knowing what was to come? SS, RL, OC

Fantasy/Drama

This story is rated R/M.

ENIGMA

Chapter 004: Come Together

Jessica regained consciousness in the infirmary. She guessed it was the infirmary because of the other beds and mainly because it had that feel to it that all hospital wards did – even it was in a castle, and a magical one at that.

“I don’t know what to do,” a woman hissed at McGonagall. “I’ve never seen anything like it; it’s got to be Dark Magic! You’re the expert Lupin – care to be useful?”

Lupin!

‘Oh my lord,’ Jessica thought as she opened her eyes.

She recognised Professor McGonagall of course. But the woman now standing over her prodding her wounds and hurting her even more with something that had to be a wand could only be Madame Pomfrey. She was dressed in a rather unremarkable brown outfit that included pants. Jessica couldn’t recall that the books had ever described her clothing but the films always had her dressed in what really was an old-fashioned British nurse’s uniform – only slightly more elaborate. At least this Madame Pomfrey looked to be a very practical woman.

“Ahh, your patient is awake,” Madame Pomfrey said crisply. “Infinitely more useful that way…”

‘She could out-McGonagall McGonagall,’ Jessica thought to herself. ‘McGonagall’s patient my arse – the old moo!’

A pair of unremarkable eyes looked into her own from the foot of the bed. The long face that surrounded them was equally unremarkable, with its deeply etched lines and ragged light brown hair flecked with gray that framed it. The clothes were not only shabby, they were derelict. ‘If his clothes were a building, they would be condemned’, Jessica thought fleetingly. Shabby wasn’t terribly sexy where she came from unless it was Harry Potter fan fiction. Still, there could only be one person at Hogwarts who fit the bill; and if the man’s name was Lupin then there was only one possibility.

He was Remus John Lupin and this was the first-ever paid job he’d ever had in his life. The first-ever because of what he was: a werewolf. Another thought crossed her mind. Where there was Remus J. Lupin; there also was Severus Snape. And this was Harry Potter’s third year at Hogwarts. According to the Timeline of the Harry Potter Lexicon website she’d read voraciously – this had to be 1993-1994.

“God help me, please…” she murmured painfully. Not only was in a dream world – she had managed to jump back around 11-12 years.

“Oh for God’s sake this is wasting my time!” Madame Pomfrey snapped. Jessica visibly flinched and shrank back into her pillows.

“Point taken Pomfrey…” McGonagall said curtly. “Hagrid…”

“Yep I know… been wonderin’ when yeh’d see the sense in getting’ him…” the gentle giant said as he crossed the room and then left it, slamming the door behind him. Jessica had to admit it – Hagrid certainly seemed to have a bit more on the ball than was ever detailed in the books; she’d always thought he was rather thick.

“What… who?” Jessica stammered “What’s going on? What’s wrong with me?”

Madame Pomfrey continued to ignore her as though she was little more than an irritating house fly. Jessica supposed the Mediwitch had better things to do than fuss with the likes of a Muggle; that is, if she guessed that Jessica wasn’t a witch.

“I don’t see why …” Pomfrey’s voice trailed off as she went into a room never noted in the books.

How odd it was that the Mediwitch didn’t want anyone else muscling in on her patch, Jessica thought, even if she really didn’t want to be bothered. There was something to be said for a personality if not a good bedside manner; Pomfrey was lacking in both.

There was only one other person besides Dumbledore that the giant could be getting; the one and only, the enigmatic Severus Snape.

The man called Lupin glanced in the direction of Jessica supposed was the Mediwitch’s office and then focused his attention back on the stranger. He was no closer to getting the story of the woman’s sudden appearance than when he’d first asked Hagrid. The werewolf continued to look at her blandly, but Jessica knew that his benign appearance and demeanour belied a strength that was fearsome. And though she supposed with that strength came intelligence; however from fiction she knew that Remus Lupin did not always make the best use of either. As Jo Rowling had said, his greatest flaw was that he liked to be liked. He wouldn’t deliberately do anything to get anyone’s back up if he could help it.

‘Not even a stranger he is highly suspicious of,’ she thought to herself.

“I am afraid we haven’t been introduced,” Lupin said.

BAM!

Jessica visibly flinched while Lupin looked as calm as ever despite the fact that Hagrid had returned with a man who didn’t look terribly happy to have been disturbed, whatever it was that he had been doing.

“Ah, Severus,” Lupin said blandly. “It would appear we are in need of your expertise.”

Severus?

Severus!

‘Oh motherfucking God!’ Jessica thought as she forced her eyes to take in the sight of the one person that she’d been most fearful of once she contemplated the reality of this situation.

“Lupin,” Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, sneered. “As it has clearly been established that you are out of your depth, surely you have other concerns which ought to occupy your time!”

Jessica tried not to laugh from shock. There was something about the way this Snape spoke. ‘Lupin’ being slightly over-emphasised; he pronounced it ‘loo-penn’. And the timbre of his voice – there was none of the rich velvety baritone that was uniquely Alan Rickman’s or the put-upon actor-y-ness of Jim Dale from the audiobooks; Snape’s voice was…well it was Snape’s voice. It just was what it was really.

She found herself looking into his eyes as he moved towards her. He did have the legendary black eyes; the idea of which made many a heart flutter in the fandom. They weren’t quite the cold, empty tunnels that Harry Potter perceived them to be in the books; however there was a decided aloofness, guardedness and yes, intelligence in those eyes – for anyone that cared to look for such things.

Jessica was treading on dangerous territory here. She had written so many essays and stories about Snape; but it was her interpretation of someone else’s characterisation. She couldn’t afford to make the mistake of imposing upon him ideas that were just the unacknowledged longings of her own broken heart. Snape in fiction was one thing; Snape as a fact was something else. And that was as true for him as it was for anyone else in this world – this dream world.

It was a dream; it had to be.

Wasn’t it?

…xxxXXXxxx…

Lupin had moved to the other side of the bed, opposite Snape.

“I would imagine it is up to the young lady whether or not I leave, Severus.”

Both men looked down at her.

‘Jesus Christ, this is too much like my fan fics,’ Jessica thought trying to hold back a giggle.

“Do you know what’s wrong with me?” she asked Lupin respectfully.

“No,” he sighed, “I’m afraid I don’t…”

Jessica forced herself to look over at the dark man whose cool coal-black eyes seem to be looking right through her.

“Do you, Sir? Do you have any idea what’s wrong?” she asked quietly.

Not used to being questioned on the premises in a manner that seemed to be respectful, Snape looked at her with a gaze that didn’t feel quite so intimidating as when he’d swept into the room.

“I believe so; but I would have to examine your wounds,” he said curtly.

Jessica let out a breath she didn’t know she’s been holding.

“Then there is nothing you can do, Mr. … Lupin, is it?”

Lupin gave her another benign look and shook his head slightly.

“You may go, Lupin…” Snape said with a smirk that definitely was familiar to Jessica in some ways – it was just strange seeing it come to life and not through an actor in a film.

Erring on the side of sensibility, Lupin opted to not comment and simply left the room. Snape frowned slightly as he took in the sight of the stranger’s eyes following the werewolf out the room. The woman made a slight noise in her throat that sounded like ‘Hmmph’ – as though she’d made up her mind about something. But given what little he’d heard from Hagrid, there was more to her than met the eye. There was a mystery here or a few that needed solving – and as it seemed to involve Death Eaters he was certainly uniquely qualified.

Severus Snape decided they needed to have a little chat.

But first there was the business of her wounds to tend to.

…xxxXXXxxx…

They were alone and Snape had conjured a screen around Jessica’s bed. He stood away from the bed warily and Jessica realised that he needed to examine her wounds – and that she would be naked. Blood had continued to seep through her gown and it also stained the bed linen.

“The rejuvenation potion that you were given will not last long,” Snape began. He stopped short, having obviously decided to comment no further. “I will summon Madam Pomfrey…”

“Wait,” Jessica said reaching out a hand impulsively, “Please… I… I’d much rather it be Professor McGonagall than that… that…cow!”

The corners of Snape’s mouth turned up slightly. Was it her imagination or was he actually smiling!

“I cannot say that I blame you,” he said blithely before disappearing.

A moment later he returned with Professor McGonagall in tow.

“Pomfrey’s back is up a bit,” Professor McGonagall said tersely.

“Far be it from me to actually shed some light in matters she is ignorant of,” Snape responded churlishly. “Miss…”

“Newkirk…” Jessica said through a cough.

“Miss Newkirk…your gown…” he said looking away.

Jessica’s hands were shaking so badly that Professor McGonagall had to help her. She wasn’t used to being looked at in such an undignified state and the idea of anyone seeing her naked filled her with dread. Even Dave had never seen her naked; not for the whole of the few turbulent years that they had been married.

“Don’t worry,” McGonagall murmured so that Snape wouldn’t hear (even though he did), “nothing will not happen that is not appropriate to the situation I can assure you…”

Snape’s face was unreadable as he turned back around. The implication was clear however: Severus Snape was not a man who was respected or trusted implicitly. Fiction was indeed fact in this regard. ‘No wonder he summoned a witness’ Jessica thought to herself. Then again, the same would have happened with male doctor back home – wherever home was…

Jessica blinked rapidly and tried to ignore the fact that her nipples had gone rigid. God only knew why, because the infirmary was drafty and Snape’s hands were ice-cold as he touched her. His brows were knitted in concentration.

But what she wouldn’t give to know what he was thinking.

…xxxXXXxxx….

“She was cursed,” Snape murmured to Professor McGonagall just outside the screen. Jessica could see their shadows and strained to pick up their conversation. “I know that curse – it was a particular favourite of the Dark Lord’s.”

“I see,” McGonagall hissed, as though he had something to do with it. She had no idea just how right she was – only the details were of his involvement were not what she would have thought they were.

“She has a most peculiar and very dangerous problem, Professor,” Snape continued, ignoring the venom in her voice. “Death Eaters did that to her. The curse works from the inside out – eating her alive as it were. It works slowly; but in the final throes it is quite nasty. Her death would be a torturous one – as he intended of those who crossed him. The effects of the curse have been delayed in some respects, but in others it has been speeded up considerably. Of course neither yourself nor Madame Pomfrey was to know that what you did was wrong…”

“Can you do something or not, Snape!”

“Indeed I can – Professor.”

“Well – you best get on with it then. I have matters to attend to in Tower – the Twins …”

“Then best you get on with it then …”

Jessica winced at hearing the exchange. Snape couldn’t win no matter what he did – or what he knew; anything he said or did would always be held against him. She pulled the covers up over herself and hoped she looked oblivious as the two Professors returned.

“Jessica, I have an urgent matter concerning some of our students I need to attend to. Professor Snape has ascertained the source of your problem and believes he can help. Will you be alright if I entrust his care to you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Jessica blurted out without thinking.

The corners of Snape’s mouth curled again and he looked at Jessica beneath lowered lashes, arms folded across his chest. ‘He just out-Rickman-ed Rickman,’ she thought, not believing that such a thing could be possible. Then again, Snape was who he was and it was Rickman that strove to emulate the fictional character. There was something about all of this that was struggling to formulate in her mind. The instinct was there, but this was all still too new.

“I’ll leave you two to get on then…” McGonagall said before disappearing in a swirl of crimson and lime green tartan.

“Yes, why don’t you do that!” Snape hissed under his breath.

He fell silent and faced his patient. They were utterly alone, Madame Pomfrey having retired for the night since she was not needed. Jessica was acutely aware of her nakedness and tried not to sexualise the situation. Were this one of her stories – the heroine and Snape would likely have been going at it hard and heavy (though every time she started a new fic she told herself she would have him and his paramour take their time). There was definitely no chance of that in the here and now even if either of them had been so inclined.

Snape cleared his throat lightly. He reached out and then snatched his hand back. Jessica didn’t look at him as she lowered the covers, her face going a bit red in the process.

“I cannot lie to you,” The Potions Master said brusquely,” The treatment is very painful.”

“Oh?”

Snape nodded and then tapped his wand on the table next to her bed. Some cord appeared along with several potions and two bottles of something that was wiggling.

“I will need to restrain you. You have my word that it is absolutely necessary. Once the treatment is underway the reason for this will be apparent.”

“I trust you,” Jessica said, almost too quickly.

“You have no reason to,” Snape snapped just as quickly.

“Do I need a reason to?”

Snape didn’t answer and instead set to work. He waved his wand and Jessica’s arms, hands and legs were anchored to the bed.

He waved his wand over each of the wounds and began to croon softly. He seemed satisfied with whatever the result was and then placed his wand on the table. He took up one of the bottles of wriggling things and opened it. Using a tool that looked like an evil version of tweasers, he plucked a struggling red creature from the bottle. As he pulled it out it lengthened and snapped its mouth – revealing five rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Jessica’s eyes widened in horror as he placed the thing inside one of her wounds.

“NOOOOOOO!” she screamed at the first round of pain-fuelled spasms racked her body.

Snape’s hands twitched slightly and then he continued on with the process. Creature after creature was placed in the cavities that were her wounds and Jessica continued screaming until she was unconscious from the low tolerance of pain.

…xxxXXXxxx….

Jessica awoke early the next morning to the reality that was still the wizarding world of the Harry Potter novels. This was no dream, it was really happening. It was Severus Snape perched next to her on the bed smoothing her damp hair back from her face and then checking her pulse and the healed wounds.

“Morning…” she rasped. Her throat was raw from screaming so much.

“You need to recover; you have withstood an ordeal that would have crippled many,” Snape said evenly.

“So this is it, huh?”

Snape looked at her, searching her eyes. Jessica felt a pressure unlike any headache she’d ever had.

Legilimency… Snape was not so much reading her mind but exploring her memories.

A rogue tear rolled down her right cheek as her mind flipped back to the night before, when she had thought she was safe in her own home. As suddenly as it had come the pressure disappeared. There was a slight headache as a residual effect.

Was that her imagination or was there a slight hint of remorse that had crossed Snape’s countenance? The Potions Master looked around and then leaned into her.

“We need to speak, privately,” he whispered. “Would you be willing to see me on your own?”

Jessica nodded her agreement.

“After everything you have done for me, it’s the least I could do,” she whispered. “I can’t stay here…”

“You are not Pomfrey’s patient as such; there is no reason why you should continue to remain here… However, you cannot be let out amongst the population of the school and especially whilst you are still recovering.”

“How much longer, do you think?”

“A week or two – it depends on you.”

“Your Headmaster won’t allow it; and I doubt very much he will even want me here.”

“Stranger things have happened,” Snape said ruefully.

‘Only in fan fiction’ Jessica retorted though it was unspoken.

The door to the infirmary opened and Snape flew into the chair next to the bed.

“Well, you certainly are looking much better,” McGonagall said brightly as she rounded the screen.

Jessica couldn’t find the words to speak as her eyes were glued on the man accompanying the Deputy Headmistress. The man who definitely held her life in his hands – all present knew it. There was no mistaking that this was the flesh, blood and bone man who was the real Albus Dumbledore.